Didascalicon, Book VI: how Scripture is to be read
Chapter VI. On the order of the books
The same order of books is not to be kept in historical and in allegorical reading. History follows the order of time; the order of knowledge pertains more to allegory; because, as was said above, doctrine ought always to take its beginning not from the obscure but from the open, and from what is better known. Hence it follows that the New Testament, in which the truth is manifestly preached, be put before the Old in this reading, where the same truth, shadowed in figures, is hiddenly foretold. The same truth is in both, but there hidden, here manifest; there promised, here displayed. You heard when it was read in the Apocalypse that the book was sealed; and no one could be found to loose the seals thereof, but the lion of the tribe of Juda (Apoc. 5). The law was sealed, the prophecies were sealed; because the times of redemption were hiddenly foretold as to come. Does not that book seem to you to have been sealed which said: Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son; and his name shall be called Emmanuel (Isa. 7). And another: And thou, Bethlehem Ephrata, art a little one among the thousands of Juda: out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel; and his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity (Mich. 5). And the Psalmist: Shall not Sion say: This man and that man is born in her? and the Highest himself hath founded her (Ps. 86). And again: And to the Lord, the Lord, belong the issues from death (Ps. 67). And again: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand (Ps. 109). And after a few words: With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength, in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot thee (ibid.). And Daniel: I beheld in the vision of the night, and lo, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and he came even to the Ancient of days, and he gave him power and glory and a kingdom: and all peoples, tribes and tongues shall serve him: his power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away (Dan. 7). Who do you think could understand these before they were fulfilled? They were sealed, and no one could loose the seals but the lion of the tribe of Juda. The Son of God came, therefore, and put on our nature: he was born of a Virgin, crucified, buried, rose again, ascended into heaven, and by fulfilling what had been promised he opened what lay hidden. I read in the Gospel that the angel Gabriel is sent to Mary the Virgin, and foretells that she shall bear (Luke 1). I remember the prophecy which says: Behold a virgin shall conceive. I read that when Joseph was in Bethlehem with Mary his wife with child, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn son, whom the angel had foretold would reign on the throne of David his father (ibid.). I remember the prophecy of Bethlehem Ephrata: Thou art a little one among the thousands of Juda: out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel. I read again: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1). I remember the prophecy which says: His going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity. I read: The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1). I remember the prophet who says: His name shall be called Emmanuel, that is, God with us. And lest by pursuing each I make you weary, unless you first know the nativity of Christ, his preaching, passion, resurrection and ascension, and the rest which he did in the flesh through the flesh, you will not be able to penetrate the mysteries of the old figures.