Didascalicon, Book IV: the order and number of the divine books
Chapter II. On the order and number of the books
All divine Scripture is contained in two Testaments, namely the Old and the New. Each Testament is distinguished into three orders. The Old Testament contains the Law, the Prophets and the Hagiographa. The New contains the Gospel, the Apostles and the Fathers. The first order of the Old Testament, that is the Law, which the Hebrews call Thorah, has the Pentateuch, that is the five books of Moses. In this order the first is Bresith, which is Genesis; the second Hellesmoth, which is Exodus; the third Vajetra, which is Leviticus; the fourth Vajedaber, which is Numbers; the fifth Elle Haddebarim, which is Deuteronomy.
The second order, of the Prophets, contains eight volumes. The first, Josue the son of Nun, who is also called Josue and Jesus; the second the book of Judges; the third Samuel, which is the first and second of Kings; the fourth Malachim, which is the third and fourth of Kings; the fifth Isaias; the sixth Jeremias; the seventh Ezechiel; the eighth Thareasra, which is the twelve Prophets.
Then the third order has nine books. The first Job; the second David; the third Masloth, which in Latin means Proverbs, namely of Solomon; the fourth Coheleth, which is Ecclesiastes; the fifth Sir Hassirim, the Canticle of Canticles; the sixth Daniel; the seventh Dabre iamin (Paralipomenon); the eighth Esdras; the ninth Esther. All, then, are twenty-two in number. There are besides certain other books, as the Wisdom of Solomon, the book of Sirach, and the book of Judith, and Tobias and the books of Machabees, which are indeed read but are not written in the canon.
The first order of the New Testament has four volumes of the Gospels, of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The second likewise four: the fourteen Epistles of Paul in one volume, the canonical Epistles, the Apocalypse and the Acts of the Apostles. In the third order the first place is held by the Decretals, which we call canons, that is rules; then the writings of the holy Fathers and doctors: of Jerome, Augustine, Gregory, Ambrose, Origen, and many other orthodox, which are so countless that they cannot be numbered. From this surely appears how great a fervor they had for the Christian faith, for whose assertion they left so many and such great works to be remembered by posterity. Hence our own sloth is rebuked, who are not able to read what they were able to dictate. In these orders of both Testaments there appears a correspondence: as after the Law came the Prophets and after the Prophets the Hagiographa, so after the Gospel the Apostles, and after the Apostles the Doctors, followed in order. And by a certain wonderful plan of divine dispensation it has come about that, while full and perfect truth consists in each, yet none is superfluous. This I have briefly touched on concerning the order and number of the divine books, that each may know what is prescribed to him.