This is a further evidence of their distress, they cry when they are in their nest, and there God provides for them; and when they wander (from their nest) for lack of meat, God feeds them too. Some restrain this wandering to a narrow compass, and say, 'tis only in their nest, where they struggle and are unquiet for want of meat; but this their wandering for want of meat, may be conceived to be out of the nest, rather than in it; for a nest being a strait place, it cannot be congruously said, that the young ones wander while they are in it. And therefore, which clears the matter sufficiently, Naturalists tell us, That when the Raven hath fed his young in the nest, till they are well fledged and able to fly abroad, then he thrusts them out of the nest, and will not let them abide there, but puts them to get their own living. Now when these young ones are upon their first flight from their nest, and are little acquainted with means how to help themselves with food, then the Lord provides food for them. 'Tis said by credible ⟨p. 402⟩Authorities, that the Raven is marvellous strict and severe in this;1 for as soon as his young ones are able to provide for themselves, he will not fetch any more food for them; yea, some affirm, the old ones will not suffer them to stay in the same Country where they were bred; and if so, then they must needs wander. We say proverbially, Need makes the old wife trot; we may say, and The young ones too. It hath been, and possibly is, the practise of some parents towards their children, who as soon as they can shift for themselves, and are fit in any competency to get their bread, they turn them out of doors, as the Raven doth his young ones out of the nest. Now saith the Lord in the Text, When the young ones of the Raven are at this pinch, that they are turned off, and wander for lack of meat, who then provides for them? do not I the Lord? do not I who provide for the old Raven, provide for his young ones, both while they abide in the nest, and when they wander for lack of meat?
This is a further evidence of their distress, they cry when they are in their nest, and there God provides for them; and when they wander (from their nest) for lack of meat, God feeds them too. Some restrain this wandring to a narrow compass, and say, 'tis only in their nest, where they struggle and are unquiet for want of meat; but this their wandering for want of meat, may be conceived to be out of the nest, rather than in it; for a nest being a strait place, it cannot be congruously said, that the young ones wander while they are in it. And therefore, which clears the matter sufficiently, Naturalists tell us, That when the Raven hath fed his young in the nest, till they are well fledged and able to flie abroad, then he thrusts them out of the nest, and will not let them abide there, but puts them to get their own living. Now when these young ones are upon their first flight from their nest, and are little acquainted with means how to help themselves with food, then the Lord provides food for them. 'Tis said by credible ⟨p. 402⟩Authorities, that the Raven is marvellous strict and severe in this;1 for as soon as his young ones are able to provide for themselves, he will not fetch any more food for them; yea, some affirm, the old ones will not suffer them to stay in the same Country where they were bred; and if so, then they must needs wander. We say proverbially, Need makes the old wife trot; we may say, and The young ones too. It hath been, and possibly is, the practise of some parents towards their children, who as soon as they can shift for themselves, and are fit in any competency to get their bread, they turn them out of doors, as the Raven doth his young ones out of the nest. Now saith the Lord in the Text, When the young ones of the Raven are at this pinch, that they are turned off, and wander for lack of meat, who then provides for them? do not I the Lord? do not I who provide for the old Raven, provide for his young ones, both while they abide in the nest, and when they wander for lack of meat?
- 1Locis arctio•ibus, ubi non satis cibi pluribus sit, duo tantum incolunt; & suos pullos cum jam potestas volandi est primum nido ejiciunt deinde region tota exp•llunt. Arist. l. 9. de Histor. animal. c. 31.Locis arctio•ibus, ubi non satis cibi pluribus sit, duo tantum incolunt; & suos pullos cum jam potestas volandi est primum nido ejiciunt deinde regione tota exp•llunt. Arist. l. 9. de Histor. animal. c. 31.
