Chapter 26.—Obscure Passages are to Be Interpreted by Those Which are Clearer.

Now from the places where the sense in which they are used is more manifest we must gather the sense in which they are to be understood in obscure passages.  For example, there is no better way of understanding the words addressed to God, “Take hold of shield and buckler and stand up for mine help,”185    Ps. xxxv. 2. than by referring to the passage where we read, “Thou, Lord, hast crowned us with Thy favor as with a shield.”186    Ps. v. 12.  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 favor 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.”187    Eph. vi. 16.  Nor ought we, on the other hand, in regard to spiritual armor 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.”188    l Thess. v. 8.

CAPUT XXVI. Obscura ex locis apertioribus explicanda.

Ubi autem apertius ponuntur, ibi discendum est quomodo in locis intelligantur obscuris. Neque enim melius potest intelligi quod dictum est Deo, Apprehenda arma et scutum, et exsurge in adjutorium mihi (Psal. XXXIV, 2), quam ex illo loco ubi legitur, Domine, ut scuto bonae voluntatis tuae coronasti nos (Psal. V, 13). Nec tamen ita ut jam ubicumque scutum pro aliquo munimento legerimus positum, non accipiamus nisi bonam voluntatem Dei: dictum est enim et scutum fidei, in quo possitis, inquit, omnes sagittas maligni ignitas exstinguere (Ephes. VI, 16). Nec rursum ideo debemus in armis hujuscemodi spiritualibus scuto tantummodo fidem tribuere, cum alio loco etiam lorica dicta sit fidei: Induti, inquit, loricam fidei et charitatis (I Thess. V, 8).