THE DOVE. 143 



this passage the Saviour's commendation. The character which 

 is compounded of both makes the nearest approach to the true 

 standard of Christian excellence. The wisdom of the serpent ena- 

 bles the believer to discern between good and evil, truth and error, 

 that, having proved all things, he may hold fast that which is good; 

 the simplicity of the dove renders him inoffensive and sincere, that 

 he may not deceive nor injure his neighbor. Such were the quali- 

 ties which the Saviour recommended to his followers, and his apos- 

 tle wished the Romans to obtain: 'I would have you wise unto 

 that which is good, and simple concerning evil,' chap. xvi. 19. 



The mourning of the dove (Isaiah xxxviii. 14: lix. 11) alludes to 

 the plaintive murmuring of this bird, particularly of the turtle-dove, 

 which is said to be disconsolate and to die with grief at the loss of 

 its mate. To this circumstance Nahum also refers, when predict- 

 ing the desolation of Nineveh : ' Huzzab shall be led away captive ; 

 she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the 

 voice of doves tabering upon their breasts,' chap. ii. /. 



It is supposed, that in Eccles. x. 20, there is an allusion to the 

 custom, so long and extensively adopted, of employing these birds 

 as couriers to carry tidings from one place to another: 'Curse not 

 the king, no, not in thy thought ; and curse not the rich in thy bed- 

 chamber ; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and they which 

 have wings shall tell the matter.' 



The conjugal fidelity of the dove has been noticed by every wri- 

 ter who has treated of her character. She admits but of one mate, 

 to whom she seems most affectionately attached, and from whom 

 she is never known to separate while life continues. The black 

 pigeon, it is said, after the death of her mate, continues in a widow- 

 ed state for life: the intense grief of the turtle-dove on this occur- 

 ence we have already noticed. This may help to illustrate those 

 passages of scripture in which the undivided affection and indisolu- 

 ble union which subsist between the Saviour and his church are 

 represented. 'Oh, my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in 

 the secret places of the stars, let me see thy countenance, let me 

 hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and' thy countenance come- 

 ly,' Cant. ii. 14. 'My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the 

 *>nly one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her,' 

 ch. vi. 9. 



In the New Testament, the dove is the chosen emblem of the 

 Holy Spirit, who, in the economy of grace, is not only the messen- 

 .ger of peace and joy to sinful men, but also the author of those gen- 

 tle and peaceable dispositions of mind, which characterise, in every 

 part of the world, the true believer in Christ: The fruit of the 

 Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith 

 [or fidelity,], meekness, temperance,' Gal. v. 22. 



During ihe siege of Samaria, by Ben-hadad, king of Syria, we 

 are informed (2 Kings vi. 25) that so pressing was the famine, an 

 ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth 

 j>art of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. This, howev- 



