The Decree on the Books to Be Received and Not to Be Received

It has been said that first must be treated the sevenfold Spirit, who rests in Christ, the Spirit of wisdom: Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. The Spirit of understanding: I will give thee understanding, and instruct thee in this way, in which thou shalt walk. The Spirit of counsel: And he shall be called the angel of great counsel. The Spirit of might, as was said above: Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. The Spirit of knowledge on account of the eminence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle says. The Spirit of truth: And I am the way, and the truth. The Spirit of fear: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Manifold moreover is the dispensation of the names of Christ.

Lord, because Christ. Word, because Son of God, because only-begotten of the Father. Flesh, because born of the Virgin. Shepherd, because guardian of the sheep. Mountain, because strong. Way, because through him is the right entrance into life. Lamb, because he suffered. Cornerstone, because of the building. Master, because shower of life. Sun, because illuminator. True, because from the Father. Life, because ruler. Bread, because flesh. Samaritan, because guardian, and merciful. Christ, because anointed. Jesus, because savior. God, because he is from God. Angel, because messenger. Bridegroom, because mediator. Vine, because by his blood we are redeemed. Lion, because king. Rock, because foundation. Foundation, because foundation. Flower, because chosen. Prophet, because he reveals things to come. For the Holy Spirit is not the Spirit of the Father alone, but of the Father, and of the Son. For it is written: If any man love the world, the Spirit of the Father is not in him. Likewise it is written: But he who has not the Spirit of Christ, is none of his.

Therefore, when the Father and the Son are named, the Spirit is understood, of whom the Son himself says in the Gospel: The Spirit, who proceeds from the Father: and he shall receive of mine, and shall declare it to you.

Likewise it was said: Now indeed we must treat of the divine Scriptures, what the universal catholic Church holds, and what ought to be avoided.

Genesis one book. Exodus one book. Leviticus one book. Numbers one book. Deuteronomy one book. Joshua the son of Nun one book. Judges one book. Ruth one book. Kings four books. Paralipomenon two books. Psalter one book. Of Solomon three books. Proverbs one book. Ecclesiastes one book. Song of Songs one book. Likewise Wisdom one book. Ecclesiasticus one book.

Isaiah one book. Jeremiah one book with the one Baruch; likewise with his Lamentations. Ezekiel one book. Daniel one book. Joel one book. Obadiah one book. Hosea one book. Amos one book. Micah one book. Jonah one book. Nahum one book. Habakkuk one book.

Zephaniah one book. Haggai one book. Zechariah one book. Malachi one book.

Job one book. Tobit one book. Judith one book. Esther one book. Ezra one book. Maccabees two books.

The Gospel according to Matthew one book. According to Mark one book. According to Luke one book. According to John one book.

To the Romans one. To the Corinthians two. To the Ephesians one. To the Thessalonians two. To the Galatians one. To the Philippians one. To the Colossians one. To Timothy two. To Titus one. To Philemon one. To the Hebrews one.

Likewise the Apocalypse of John the Apostle, one book. The Acts of the Apostles one book. Likewise the Canonical Epistles, seven in number. Of Peter the Apostle, two Epistles. Of James the Apostle, one Epistle.

Of John the Apostle, one Epistle. Of the other John, the presbyter, two Epistles. Of Jude the Zealot, one Epistle.

After all these prophetic, and evangelic, and apostolic Scriptures, which we have set forth above, by which the catholic Church has been founded by God throughout the world, we have thought it right also to make known this: that although the universal catholic Churches spread throughout the world are, as it were, one bridal chamber of Christ, yet the holy Roman Church has been set before the other churches by certain synodal constitutions; but she has also obtained the primacy by the evangelic voice of our Lord and Savior: Thou art, he says, Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, and to thee I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.

There has been added also the fellowship of the most blessed Paul the Apostle, the vessel of election, who not at a different time, as the heretics prattle, but at one and the same time, on one and the same day, contending with a glorious death together with Peter in the city of Rome under Caesar Nero, was crowned: and they equally consecrated the aforesaid Roman Church to Christ the Lord, and by their presence and venerable triumph set it before all others in the whole world. The first see, therefore, is the Roman Church of the Apostle Peter, having neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor anything of this kind. The second see, moreover, is that at Alexandria, consecrated on behalf of Peter by Mark his disciple and evangelist; and he, sent into Egypt by the Apostle Peter, preached the word of truth, and accomplished a glorious martyrdom.

The third see, however, that of the most blessed Apostle Peter, is held in honor at Antioch, because he dwelt there first before he came to Rome, and there first arose the name of Christians, of the new people. The end.