Hinds, and wild goats on rocks, Christian Teachers, 389 rivers, they rest the weight of their heads on the backs of Book those in front, and tliat, succeeding in turn to each other, - they do not feel at all the labour of the weight. Why is it then that blessed Job is questioned concerning the bringing forth of the wild goats, and the hinds, except that by wild goats, and hinds, is signified the character of spiritual masters ? For they in truth bring forth as wild goats in the rocks ; because by the leaching of the fathers, who are called rocks for their solidity, they bring forth souls to con- version. They, like wild goats, feel not the losses of any fall, when they are caught on their own horns ; because whatever temporal ruin befals them, they support themselves on the testaments pf Holy Scripture, and are saved, as it were, by being caught on their horns. For of these testa- ments it is said. Horns are in His hands. They fly therefore Hab. 3, to the consolation of Scripture, when they are struck with ' the loss of any temporal fall. Did not Paul, when sinking through the adversities of this world, catch himself, like the wild goats, on his horns ; when he was saying, Whatsoever Rom. things were written were writtenfor our learning, that we ' * through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. They are also called hinds, as is said by Jeremiah of teachers carelessly deserting the children who were born to them ; The hind calved in the field, andforsook it. They, Jer. i4, like hinds, live on destroyed sins, as on dead serpents ; and ' from this very destruction of their sins are they more eagerly ardent for the fountain of life. Whence the Psalmist says. As the hart longeth for the fountains ofwater, so lo7igeth Ps.42»i. my sold after Thee, God, They also, while they pass over the gliding moments of this temporal state, as if they were streams, place their burdens each on the other, being compassionate from love; because they keep with careful ob- servation thatwhich is written ; Bearye one anothefs burdens. Gal. 6 andso ye willfulfil the law of Christ. But because after the ^* coming of the Lord, spiritual teachers were scattered through the world, who were able by their preaching to travail with souls in conversion ; and because this very season of the Lord's Licarnation was not known, before the voices of the Prophets, though His coming Incarnation was foreknown to all the Elect, blessed Job is well questioned concerning