WHat harm is there in reading the Apocrypha?

I told you that we scruple not reading most of it in the place of Homilies or other Books; especially the books called Wisedom and Ecclesiasticus.

But, 1. Many Bishops and Doctours of the Church of Eng∣land have accused the books of Tobit of down right lies, and the books of Iudith, Bell and Dragon, &c. as being meer fictions. 2. And when we read these, it is to be done in the same order as we read the Scripture, by the name of Lessons, which is the Title given to the Chapters read out of the Old and New Testament. 3. And, if we could yet read all these, that will not serve unless we declare our As∣sent, Consent, and Approbation of the Appointment of them in the book, which we cannot do.

But they are for the most part to be read but on week days, or holy days.

The Conforming Clergy Consent and Covenant to the Imposition that requireth them to read the Common-Prayer every day in the week, unless they be hindred by sickness or some urgent cause. And so it is still the publick Service.

God's Service is all to be done with holy Reverence, and if the Book of Tobit and some others be guilty of so many gross falsehoods, as Protestants have and do still accuse them of, I fear both to use them as Lessons in the place of God's Word, lest it be prophanation, and also to subscribe, or declare my Approbation of the Calender, and that use, lest I be guilty of the sin of all the Ministers in England that so use it. And it's dangerous to seem to tell the people that so many books are God's Word that are not such: For they understand not the Greek word Apocrypha, and every Reader at least that is not Licensed to Preach, is forbidden by the Canon to expound even that one word to them.