Tlie Jeaish Churchfed at the cry ofher children. 385 wishes to say all things at once in his preaching, to behold Book all men at once through his love ; because he both wishes, '- by remaining in the flesh, to live for all, and, by passing out of the flesh, to profit all by the sacrifice of faith. Let therefore the young ones of the ravens wander, that is, let the sons of the Gentiles imitate their master, let them shake off the torpor of their mind, and when they find not the gain of souls, that is, their food, let them not rest; let them stretch themselves forth to advancement after advancement; and, toiling for the benefit of many, let them wander, as it were, and hunger for their own refreshment. But because, in rnnning to and fro by the works of preaching, they cease not to feed the Gentile world with the refreshment of faith, let it be rightly said. Who prepareth for the raven his food^ wlien his young ones cry to God, tvandering because they have tio meat. 3*2. But by the name of * raven,' the people of the Jews, black with the demerit of unbelief, can also be designated. For its young ones are said to cry to God, that food might be prepared for this very raven by the Lord ; doubtless, because the holy Apostles, begotten of the flesh of the people of Israel, while they were pouring forth prayers to the Lord for their nation, fed with spiritual wisdom their parent people, as the young ravens feed him from whom they are sprung in the flesh. While therefore his young ones cry out, food is provided for the raven ; because, while the Apostles entreat, the people, which was before unbelieving, is led to the knowledge of the faith : and from the preaching of its sons is fed, as it were, by the voice of its young ones. But we ought in this verse carefully to notice that point, that food is said to be prepared for this raven, first when bis young ones are crying, and afterwards when they are wandering. For food is prepared for the raven, at the cry of his young ones, while at the preaching of the Apostles, Judaea, on hearing the word of God, was filled with spiritual wisdom, at one time in three, and at another in five thousand persons. But when, through the multitude of the reprobate, it was exercising its cruelty against the preachers, andwas destroying, as it were, the life of the young ravens, they were dispersed also into every quarter of the world. Whence also