BC Article VI: The difference between the canonical and…

The difference between the canonical and apocryphal books

Note. This is the older English translation from the 1793 Constitution of the Reformed Dutch Church in North America. Later translations (for example the Christian Reformed Church's 1985 version) are in modern English and are copyrighted, so they are not used here. Scripture references appear in the text as the translation gives them.

We distinguish those sacred books from the apocryphal; viz. the third and fourth book of Esdras, the books of Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Jesus Syrach, Baruch, the appendix to the book of Esther, the song of the three Children in the Furnace, the history of Susannah, of Bell and the Dragon, the prayer of Manasses, and the two books of the Maccabees. All which the church may read and take instruction from, so far as they agree with the canonical books; but they are far from having such power and efficacy, as that we may from their testimony confirm any point of faith, or of the Christian religion; much less to detract from the authority of the other sacred books.

Edition & Source Public domain

Source: The Belgic Confession
Translation: English translation printed in the Constitution of the Reformed Dutch Church in North America (1793)
Published: 1561; revised 1618–1619
Original URL: en.wikisource.org/wiki/Belgic_Confession
Copyright: Public domain.
License: Public domain
Attribution: Public domain: published before 1931. Text taken from the proofread Wikisource transcription of that printing. Compared with a second English text on apuritansmind.com (a lightly modernized version of the same lineage): the two agree in substance and differ in wording, for example 'saith' against 'says'. Not yet proofread against a printed edition.

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Cite as The Belgic Confession. 1561; revised 1618–1619. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Belgic_Confession