388 Black wirifjH ofliumilily serveforJlying. Job 39, 35. But whilst the young arc clothing themselves in the dark hue of their wings, they also give promise of flying;MoR- ,. . . because the more disciples think meanly of themselves, the more they despise and afflict themselves, the more do they hold out the hope of advancing to higher things. Whence also the teacher takes care to feed those more speedily,whom by certain marks he now foresees to be capable of assist- ing others. For hence Paul admonishes Timothy to nurture, as it were, with greater anxiety the newly fledged young, 2 Tim. while he says ; And the things that thou hast heard of rne ' * by many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall he able to teach others also. And while this dis- cretion in teaching is carefully preserved by a preacher, a more abundant power of preaching is given him from above. For whilst he knows through love how to sympathize with his afflicted disciples,whilst through discretion he understands the fit season for teaching, he enjoys the greater gifts of his under- standing, not only for himself, but for those also, to whom he devotes the efforts of his labour. Whence it is here also fitly said ; Who prepareth for the raven hisfood, when his young ones cry to God, wandering because they have no meat. For when the young ones cry to be filled, food is prepared for the raven ; because while good hearers hunger after the word of God, greater gifts of understanding are given to their teachers for their refreshment. It follows ; Chap, xxxix. ver. 1. Knowest thou the time when the wild goats [ibices) bring forth in the rocks, or hast thou observed the hinds vjhen they calve ? X. 36. The southern part of the world calls birds, which inhabit the streams of the Nile, ' ibices.' But the eastern and western quarters term small quadrupeds, ' ibices,' whose custom also it is to bring forth in the rocks, because they know not how to dwell except in the rocks. And if they ever fall down, even from the lofty tops of the mountains, they catch themselves without hurt on their own horns. For in falling they strike their head, and while they present the tips of its liorns, the whole body is exempt from the injury of the fall. But it is the custom with hinds to destroy the serpents which they have found, and to mangle their limbs with their bites. But it is said that, if ever they cross