(2) It is a gentle bird, and is offered in sacrifice; thus representing the spirit of Piety.
(3) It is granivorous, not carnivorous; thus it shadows forth the spirit of Knowledge.
(4) It dwells in the clefts of the rock; thus exhibiting the character of the spirit of Fortitude.
(5) It brings up the young of others; thus showing forth the spirit of Counsel.
(6) It rends not what it eats, but swallows whole; a type of the spirit of Understanding.
(7) It dwells beside waters; thereby exhibiting the marks of the spirit of Wisdom.
All these points are drawn out at length, and examined minutely; Scripture is tortured to illustrate them, and illustrations of a most unsuitable nature are brought to bear upon them.
It will be seen from this abstract, how thoroughly unprofitable the sermons of Jean Raulin prove to be; they bear the character of playing and trifling with Scripture and with the most sacred subjects, and it is sad to think that a good and blameless man, such as he was, should have degraded the ministry of God’s Word to a mere tissue of Sunday puzzles.
Raulin delighted in far-fetched similes, and in tracing out types beyond all limits of endurance. That of the dove was sufficiently extravagant, but what can we say to his working out the details of the parable of the Miraculous Draught of Fishes, in such a manner as to make the little fishes resemble the faithful in the Church, because,
(1) Fish have their eyes at their sides, and so can always see about them; and faithful Christians are ever watchful.