VII.
From the Metre Poems of St. Gregory
Theologus, Specifying which Books of the Old and New Testament Should
Be Read.
601
Let not other books seduce your mind: for many
malignant writings have been disseminated. The historical books
are twelve in number by the Hebrew count, [then follow the names of the
books of the Old Testament but Esther is omitted, one Esdras, and all
the Deutero-Canonical books]. Thus there are twenty-two books of
the Old Testament which correspond to the Hebrew letters. The
number of the books of the New Mystery are Matthew, who wrote the
Miracles of Christ for the Hebrews; Mark for Italy; Luke, for Greece;
John, the enterer of heaven,
602
was a preacher to
all, then the Acts, the xiv. Epistles of Paul, the vii. Catholic
Epistles, and so you have all the books. If there is any beside
these, do not repute it genuine.
601
Not being satisfied with
Johnson, I have supplied a translation from Beveridge. It also is
found in Aristenus’s
Epitome
. Balsamon has written a
brief scholion adding nothing of importance to the text.
602
This seems to imply a
knowledge of the Revelation, although it is not mentioned.