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And when it is shown to be figurative, the words in which it is
expressed will be found to be drawn either from like objects or from
objects having some affinity.
35. But as there are many ways in which things show a likeness to
each other, we are not to suppose there is any rule that what a thing
signifies by similitude in one place it is to be taken to signify in all
other places. For our Lord used leaven both in a bad sense, as when
He said, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees," and in a good
sense, as when He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto
leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the
whole was leavened."
36. Now the rule in regard to this variation has two forms. For
things that signify now one thing and now another, signify either
things that are contrary, or things that are only different. They
signify contraries, for example, when they are used metaphorically at
one time in a good sense, at another in a bad, as in the case of the
leaven mentioned above. Another example of the same is that a lion
stands for Christ in the place where it is said, "The lion of the
tribe of Judah hath prevailed;" and again, stands for the devil
where it is written, "Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about seeking whom he may devour." In the same way the
serpent is used in a good sense, "Be wise as serpents;" and again,
in a bad sense, "The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty."
Bread is used in a good sense, "I am the living bread which came
down from heaven;" in a bad, "Bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
And so in a great many other cases.
The examples I have adduced are indeed by no means doubtful in their
signification, because only plain instances ought to be used as
examples.
There are passages, however, in regard to which it is uncertain in
what sense they ought to be taken, as for example, "In the hand of
the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red: it is full of
mixture." Now it is uncertain whether this denotes the wrath of
God, but not to the last extremity of punishment, that is, "to the
very dregs;" or whether it denotes the grace of the Scriptures
passing away from the Jews and coming to the Gentiles, because "He
has put down one and set up another," certain observances, however,
which they understand in a carnal manner, still remaining among the
Jews, for "the dregs hereof is not yet wrung out." The following
is an example of the same object being taken, not in opposite, but
only in different significations: water denotes people, as we read in
the Apocalypse, and also the Holy Spirit, as for example, "Out
of his belly shall flow rivers of living water;" and many other things
besides water must be interpreted according to the place in which they
are found.
37. And in the same way other objects are not single in their
signification, but each one of them denotes not two only but sometimes
even several different things, according to the connection in which it
is found.
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