‘For we know a doctrine is neither more nor less the Word of God for being written or unwritten; that is but accidental and extrinsical to it; for it was first unwritten and then the same thing was written; only when it was written it was better conserved, and surer transmitted, and not easily altered, and more fitted to be a rule.  And indeed only can be so: not but that every word of God is as much a rule as any word of God; but we are sure that what is so written and so transmitted is God’s word; whereas concerning other things which were not written, we have no certain records, no evident proof, no sufficient conviction; and therefore it is not capable of being owned as the rule of faith or life, because we do not know it to be the Word of God.’^[1]

Some Protestant extremists regarded all Scripture as unnecessary; the Article stresses the necessity of using Scripture as an objective test of doctrine.  Only such doctrines as are ‘read therein’ or ‘may be proved thereby’ are to be accepted as Articles of Faith.