mentioned, for it is about it that I have set myself to speak
CHAP. VIII.] THE CANONICAL BOOKS. 41
From that beginning, then, till we reach wisdom itself, our way is by the steps now described.
Chap. viii.— The canonical boohs.
12. But let US now go back to consider the third step here mentioned, for it is about it that I have set myself to speak and reason as the Lord shall grant me wisdom. The most skilful interpreter of the sacred writings, then, will be he who in the first i^lace has read them all and retained them in his knowledge, if not yet with full understanding, still with such knowledge as reading gives,—those of them, at least, that are called canonical. For he will read the others with greater safety when built up in the belief of the truth, so that they will not take first possession of a weak mind, nor, cheating it with dangerous falsehoods and delusions, fill it with prejudices adverse to a sound understanding. Now, in regard to the canonical Scriptures, he must follow the judgment of the greater number of catholic churches ; and among these, of course, a high place must be given to such as have been thought worthy to be the seat of an apostle and to receive epistles.
Accordingly, among the canonical Scriptures he will judge according to the following standard : to prefer those that are received by all the catholic churches to those which some do not receive. Among those, again, wdiich are not received by all, he will prefer such as have the sanction of the greater number and those of greater authority, to such as are held by the smaller number and those of less authority. If, however, he shall find that some books are held by the greater number of churches, and others by the churches of greater authority (though this is not a very likely thing to happen), I think that in such a case the authority on the two sides is to be looked upon as equal.
13. Now the whole canon of Scripture on which we say this judgment is to be exercised, is contained in the following books :—Five books of Moses, that is. Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy ; one book of Joshua the son of Nun; one of Judges; one short book called Ptuth, which seems rather to beloncj to the be^innincf of Kinoes ; next, four books of Kings, and two of Chronicles,—these last not following