Didascalicon, Book IV: the order and number of the divine books
Chapter I. On the study of the divine Scriptures
The writings which speak either of God or of invisible goods are neither all, nor only, to be called divine. In the books of the Gentiles, indeed, we find many things written, with quite probable reasoning, about the eternity of God, the immortality of souls, the everlasting rewards of virtues and the punishments of the wicked, yet no one doubts that these are unworthy of such a name. Again, running through the series of the Old and New Testaments, we see almost the whole interwoven with the state of the present life and with things done in time, and rarely is anything plainly set forth about the sweetness of eternal goods and the joys of the heavenly life. Yet the Catholic faith is wont to call these Scriptures divine. The writings of the philosophers, like a whitewashed mud wall, are strong outwardly in the splendor of eloquence. When they put forward an appearance of truth, mixing in falsehoods, they cover the mud of error as though with a color laid over it. On the contrary, the divine utterances are most aptly compared to a honeycomb, which for the simplicity of its speech appear dry, and within are full of sweetness; hence it is clear that they have rightly obtained such a name, which alone are found so free from the contagion of falsehood that they are shown to contain nothing contrary to truth. Divine Scriptures are those which, published by the worshippers of the Catholic faith, the authority of the universal Church has received to be reckoned among the divine for the strengthening of the same faith, and has kept to be read. There are besides very many other little works written by men of religion and by wise men at various times, which, although not approved by the authority of the universal Church, yet because they do not disagree with the Catholic faith and teach also some useful things, are counted among the divine utterances; which we shall perhaps show better by enumerating than by defining.