they have unclean food, as pigs and geese: and nothing
but what is clean should be offered to God. These birds especially
were offered in sacrifice because there were plenty of them in the
land of promise. Secondly, because the sacrificing of these animals
represented purity of heart. Because as the gloss says on Lev. 1, "We
offer a calf, when we overcome the pride of the flesh; a lamb, when
we restrain our unreasonable motions; a goat, when we conquer
wantonness; a turtledove, when we keep chaste; unleavened bread, when
we feast on the unleavened bread of sincerity." And it is evident
that the dove denotes charity and simplicity of heart.

Thirdly, it was fitting that these animals should be offered, that
they might foreshadow Christ. Because, as the gloss observes, "Christ
is offered in the calf, to denote the strength of the cross; in the
lamb, to signify His innocence; in the ram, to foreshadow His
headship; and in the goat, to signify the likeness of 'sinful flesh'
[*An allusion to Col. 2:11 (Textus Receptus)]. The turtledove and
dove denoted the union of the two natures"; or else the turtledove
signified chastity; while the dove was a figure of charity. "The
wheat-flour foreshadowed the sprinkling of believers with the water
of Baptism."

Reply Obj. 3: Fish through living in water are further removed from
man than other animals, which, like man, live in the air. Again, fish
die as soon as they are taken out of water; hence they could not be
offered in the temple like other animals.

Reply Obj. 4: Among turtledoves the older ones are better than the
young; while with doves the case is the reverse. Wherefore, as Rabbi
Moses observes (Doct. Perplex. iii), turtledoves and young doves are
commanded to be offered, because nothing should be offered to God but
what is best.

Reply Obj. 5: The animals which were offered in sacrifice were slain,
because it is by being killed that they become useful to man,
forasmuch as God gave them to man for food. Wherefore also they were
burnt with fire: because it is by being cooked that they are made fit
for human consumption. Moreover the slaying of the animals signified
the destruction of sins: and also that man deserved death on account
of his sins; as though those animals were slain in man's stead, in
order to betoken the expiation of sins. Again the slaying of these
animals signified the slaying of Christ.

Reply Obj. 6: The Law fixed the special manner of slaying the
sacri