more interpretations are put upon the same words of Scripture,
CHAP. XXVII.] YAEIOUS INTERPr.ETATIONS ALLOWABLE. 103 no better way of understanding the words addressed to God,
" Take hold of shield and buckler and stand up for mine help," than by referring to the passage where we read, " Thou, Lord, hast crowned us with Thy favour as with a shield."^ And yet we are not so to understand it, as that wherever we meet with a shield put to indicate a protection of any kind, we must take it as signifying nothing but the favour of God. For we hear also of the shield of faith, " wherewith," says the apostle,
" ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."
Nor ought we, on the other hand, in regard to spiritual armour of this kind to assign faith to the shield only; for we read in another place of the breastplate of faith : " putting on," says the apostle, " the breastplate of faith and love."
Chap, xxyii.—One jJassage susceptible of various interpretations.
38. When, again, not some one interpretation, but two or more interpretations are put upon the same words of Scripture, even though the meaning the writer intended remain undiscovered, there is no danger if it can be shown from other passages of Scripture that any of the interpretations put on the words is in harmony with the truth./And if a man in searching the Scriptures endeavours to get at the intention of the author through whom the Holy Spirit spake, whether he succeeds in this endeavour, or whether he draws a different meaning from the words, but one that is not opposed to sound doctrine, he is free from blame so long as he is supported by the testimony of some other passage of Scripture. For the author perhaps saw that this very meaning lay in the words which we are trying to interpret ; and assuredly the Holy
Spirit, who through him spake these words, foresaw that this interpretation would occur to the reader, nay, made provision that it should occur to him, seeing that it too is founded on truth. For what more liberal and more fruitful provision could God have made in regard to the Sacred Scriptures than that the same words might be understood in several senses, all of which are sanctioned by the concurring testimony of other passages equally divine ?
» Ts. XXXV. 2. 2 Ps. V. 12.