But the mode most commonly adopted, appears to have been that which is now in use among us; viz. that of beating out the grain with a staff or flail, winnowing with a shovel and fan, and sifting it through a sieve, Isa. xxx. 24. Amos ix. 9. Allusion

is made to this in our Lord's admonitory address to Peter: "Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not," Luke xxii. 31. The searching of afflictions and temptations has a strong tendency to discriminate characters, and prove which is chaff, and which is wheat.

The corn was next dried, either in the sun, or by a fire, or in a furnace; this was called parched corn, and not unfrequently used for food without any further preparation, but, in general, this process was only intended to make it more fit for grinding. Grinding was performed either by means of a pestle and mortar, to which Solomon strikingly alludes, Prov. xxvii. 22. or in a mill:-these hand-mills, or querns, consisted of a lower mill-stone, the upper side of which was concave; and an upper mill-stone, the lower side of which was convex. The hole for receiving the corn was in the centre of the upper mill-stone. In the operation of grinding, the lower stone was stationary, and the upper made to move rapidly round it by means of a handle. These mills were usually worked by two women-hence our Saviour's significant allusion, when he prophetically described the destruction of Jerusalem: "Two women

shall be grinding at the mill, one shall be taken and the other left," Matt. xxiv. 41. A considerable noise was occasioned by the working of these mills, and the singing of the women who worked them; hence, the absence of this noise is spoken of as a mark of desolation.-See Jer. xxv. 10. Rev. xviii. 22.

These mills were considered so necessary for the purpose of preparing the daily food of a family, that a most humane statute was provided by the Jewish legislator, strictly forbidding to take "the upper or the nether mill-stone in pledge,” Deut. xxiv. 6.

So merciful and condescending an attention, on the part of the Majesty of heaven, to the necessities and comforts of His creatures, strikingly reproves those who, through oppression, avarice, or even inattention, are daily trifling with the comfort of their brethren of mankind.

The particular kinds of grain mentioned in Scripture, are, Wheat, Barley, Rye, and Millet.

Wheat,

A description of which in this place would be perfectly superfluous,-is the principal and most valuable of grain for the service of man. Barley-bread was evidently much used in the early ages of mankind, but that of wheat was greatly preferred. In proof of this, we may observe, that the land of Palestine is often described in high commendation, as a land of wheat; and the chosen people of God are said to

be "fed with the finest of the wheat, with fat kidneys of wheat," Deut. viii. 8. xxxii. 14. Psal. lxxxi. 16. cxlvii. 14.

Moreover, in the meat-offerings appointed in the Levitical law, it was enjoined that the cakes and wafers should be made of wheaten flour, Exod. xxix. 2. 1 Chron. xxi. 23. Wheat is often mentioned as an article of produce, Num. xviii. 12. and a commodity of traffic: in those early days, when money was not yet invented, all transactions were carried on in the way of barter-so many measures of wheat, barley, oil, &c. 1 Kings v. 11. and in this commodity royal grants were sometimes made, Ezra vi. 9 vii. 22.

Allusions to wheat harvest are not infrequent, Judg. xv. 1. Ruth ii. 23. 1 Sam. vi. 13. xii. 17, &c.

We have long been accustomed to regard, as a mere emblem, the representation made to Pharaoh in the visions of the night, of seven ears of wheat rising from one stem, (Gen. xli. 22.) but the fact is, that a species of wheat, well known in Egypt, actually bears this number of ears on each stem, when perfect in its conformation, and when no unfavourable influence prevents its coming to maturity. The stem differs materially from that of our wheat, which is in fact but mere straw,—but that of the Egyptian wheat is solid, or at least sufficiently supplied with pith to afford support and nourishment to so great a weight as the ears which it bears. A specimen of this wheat has been brought to England, and cultivated here; it has, however, gradually deteriorated, until it

has become little more productive than that indigenous to the climate.

The interesting facts with which Pharaoh's dream was connected, will not be forgotten by the young reader: Joseph, the youngest son but one of the patriarch Jacob, was cruelly sold into Egypt as a slave, by his unnatural brethren. There he first advanced to deserved honour and confidence, and was afterwards sent into unmerited disgrace and condemnation. The fear of God was his defence, his confidence, and his support, in every condition; even in the prison he prospered, for God was with him. And thence he was most unexpectedly advanced next to royalty itself. It pleased God to reveal to Pharaoh, in the visions of the night, by emblematical representations, a severe famine of seven years' duration, with which he was about to visit Egypt and the surrounding nations-to be preceded, however, by seven years of extraordinary plenty. The emblems were seven fine full ears of corn, devoured by seven thin blighted ears which succeeded them, and seven fine plump kine, devoured by the like number which were lean and ill-favoured. The signification of this dream baffled all the wise men of Egypt,-and Joseph, the prisoner, alone was permitted to interpret it. Having done so, he suggested the prudent measure of laying up in store the surplusage of the seven plenteous years, to meet the deficiency of the famine that should succeed them. The management of this business was entirely confided to himself. He imme

diately began collecting the stores of corn, and thus he became the saviour of Egypt, the preserver of his father's family, and in fact of the church of God, which at that time was confined to the family of Israel.

Wheat, in Scripture, is sometimes set in opposition both to the chaff that is separated from it, and to the noxious weeds which grow up amongst it. Thus it is used as an imprecation by Job, when charged by his mistaken friends with crimes which his very soul abhorred: If I be guilty in these respects, let the blessing of the Almighty forsake my fields, "let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley," Job xxxi. 40.

Under similar figures, most solemn and weighty truths are frequently taught.-"What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord," Jer. xxiii. 28. How insignificant! how worthless!-and what are all the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world, about which men in general make such a strife and bustle, when compared with the true, solid, satisfying, lasting delights of religion, which they are so apt to neglect and despise? What, but vanity, and vexation of spirit? What are the vain presumptuous hopes and expectations which sinners indulge, or what the vain speculations of subtle men, compared with the true and faithful declarations of God, who cannot lie? What, but "as the chaff which the wind driveth away?"

Under this character the wicked themselves are