142 SCRIPTURE NATURAL HISTORY. 



Jeremiah, speaking of the ravages which would be committed in 

 Judea by Nebuchadnezzar, says, 'The land is desolate because of 

 the fierceness of the dove.' And again, * Let us go to our own peo- 

 ple, to avoid the sword of the dove :' and in another place, 'They 

 shall flee every one, for fear of the sword of the dove.' Each of 

 these places is intelligible, by supposing that the king of the Chal- 

 deans is referred to, who bore a dove in his ensigns, in memory of 

 Semiramis. 



The surprising brightness of the dove's eye, and the simplicity of 

 her look, which is directed only to her mate, are selected by the 

 Spirit of God, to express the purity and fidelity of a genuine be- 

 liever. * Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou 

 hast doves' eyes,' Cant. i. 15. A faithful index of the holiness 

 which reigns within ; they neither court the notice, nor meet the 

 glance of a strange lord. The same beautiful image is employed 

 to represent the peerless excellences of the Redeemer, and particu- 

 larly his infinite wisdom and knowledge, which are ever exercised 

 for the good of his people; which are pure and holy, and in the 

 estimation of every saint, as in their own nature, ineffably precious 

 and lovely : * His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of 

 waters, washed with milk, and filly set,' Cant. v. 12. The eyes of 

 a dove, always brilliant and lovely, kindle with peculiar delight by 

 the side of a crystal brook, for this is her favorite haunt ; here she 

 loves to wash, and to quench her thirst. But the inspired writer 

 seems to intimate that, not satisfied with a single rivulet, she de- 

 lights especially in those places which are watered with numerous 

 streams, whose full flowing tide approaches the height of the 

 banks, and offers her an easy and abundant supply. They seem as 

 if they were washed with milk, from their shining whiteness; and 

 fitly, or rather fully set, like a gem set in gold, neither too promi- 

 nent nor too depressed ; but so formed, as with nice adaptation, to 

 fill up the socket. So precious and admirably fitted to the work of 

 mediating between God and man, are the excellences of Jesus 

 Christ. God and man in one person, he is at once invested with 

 all the attributes of Deity, and all the perfections of which our na- 

 ture is capable. As the eternal Son of God, he is wisdom and pru- 

 dence itself; and as the Son of man, he is ' holy, harmless, unde- 

 filed, and separate from sinners : ' ' He is white and ruddy, the 

 chief among ten thousands : yea, he is altogether lovely.' 



The manners of the dove are as engaging as her form is elegant, 

 and her plumage rich and beautiful. She is the chosen emblem of 

 simplicity, gentleness, purity, and feminine timidity. Our blessed 

 Lord alludes with striking effect to her amiable temper, in that well- 

 known direction to his disciples, Be ye wise as serpents, and harm- 

 less as doves,' Matt. x. 16. Wisdom, without simplicity, degener- 

 ates into cunning simplicity, without wisdom, into silliness : uni- 

 ted, the one corrects the excess or supplies the defects of the other, 

 and both become the objects of praise 5 but separated, neither the 

 wisdom of the serpent, nor the simplicity of the dove, obtains in 



