writing upon, in characters marked by a coloured liquid passed through a hollow reed, which has been already referred to. The reeds and rushes being thus valuable to the Egyptians, we can easily conceive it a very formidable threatening against that nation, which declares, "The reeds and flags shall wither. The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more,” Isa. xix. 6. 7. It should also be observed, that the papyrus (of which books were made) being a plant fit for food, there was nothing very extraordinary in its being eaten by the prophets or others, as a symbolical action-though, at first sight, the idea of eating a book appears to us very monstrous: see Jer. xv. 16. Ezek. iii. 1. Rev. x. 10. There is one more allusion to the bulrush, which must not pass unnoticed-it is Isaiah lviii. 5. where the Lord by His prophet is reproving the Jews for their hypocrisy, and appealing to their own reason whether they could suppose that their mere outward expressions of humiliation and penitence could be acceptable to a heart-searching God, while they retained the sins that had offended Him, and neglected to practise those duties which He enjoined "Is this such a fast that I have chosen-a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Is not this the fast that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness," &c. Let us never imagine that acceptable religion consists in mere outward exercises; nor let us ever forget that a demure look, a show of outward sanctity, which is a mere cloak for covetousness or vice of any kind, must be an abomination in the sight of a holy God. The Cane. The cane, sweet-cane, or calamus, (which all mean one and the same thing,) is an aromatic reed, growing in moist places in Egypt; in Judea, near the lake Gennesareth, and in several parts of Syria, it grows about two feet high, bearing from the root a knotted stalk, quite round, containing in its cavity a soft white pith. The whole is of an agreeable aromatic smell: the plant scents the air with its fra grance while growing; and when cut down, dried, and powdered, it makes an ingredient in the richest perfumes. It was used for this purpose among the Jews. It appears that a very superior kind grew in Arabia, whence it was conveyed to distant countries, and obtained a high price. That used in the sacred perfume is repeatedly spoken of as coming from a far country; it was probably among the spices presented by the queen of Sheba to Solomon-and by the Eastern magi to the infant Saviour. It is mentioned as an ingredient in the sacred perfume, Exod. xxx. 23;--among the fragrant things which are described (Cant. iv. 14.) as figurative of the graces of the Spirit which the church is enabled to discover, and which are acceptable to her beloved Lord ;- -as an article of merchandise in the flourishing city of Tyre, Ezek. xxvii. 19;-as a reproach to the people of Israel, that they had held back from offering it to the Lord, Isa. xliii. 24; and as that which, however costly and fragrant, was by no means acceptable when offered in hypocrisy, and without the exercise of those graces of which it was an emblem, Jer. vi. 20. The Flag. 66 mea It It is not very certain what plant is intended by the words which our translators have rendered flags, as there are two words thus rendered in our English Bible, of which one is elsewhere translated dow," (Gen. xli. 2, 18.) and the other is rendered "weeds," Jonah ii. 5.-In the latter instance, the allusion is evidently to some submarine productionwhich in the others as evidently is not the case. appears generally to intend some long sedgy, grassy plant, growing near the river's edge, on which cattle feed, perhaps the butomus, a beautiful plant, and which is much sought by cattle. The ark or cradle in which little Moses was placed by his tender mother, was partly concealed amidst the forest of flags at the river's brink, Exod. ii. 3, 5. In several other passages flags are incidentally mentioned in connexion with reeds or rushes. Pulse. We next proceed to pulse, which, as a generic name, comprehends those which we call legumi nous plants, or those whose seeds grow in pods-as peas, beans, vetches, liburnum, &c. In our translation, the word pulse occurs but twice in the sacred writings. First it is mentioned as among the refreshments brought by Barzillai to David, when he fled from Absalom; "parched pulse," 2 Sam. xvii. 28. The same word occurs, Lev. xxiii. 14. and Ruth ii. 14. though there translated “parched corn,” and in all probability the same kind of food is intended. Dr. Shaw mentions a kind of pea, called the chick-pea, which is in high repute in Eastern countries: it is parched in pans or ovens, and this it appears was an anciently adopted, as well as more recently admired kind of food. We read, (Dan. i. 12, 16.) that when Daniel and his fellow-captives, from fear of being led into excess or idolatry, declined to partake of the luxuries provided for them by the king of Babylon, they requested that "pulse and water" might be given. them instead. This word would apply to seeds in general; various kinds of which, as wheat, barley, peas, &c. were commonly dried and prepared for food. The young worthies with difficulty obtained the permission they desired; but, after a fair trial, it was admitted, that on this abstemious fare, they had thriven, and preserved a more healthy and comely appearance than their brethren who fared more sumptuously. Temperance is uniformly the friend of health, activity, and cheerfulness. Food far more simple, and in much smaller quantities, than is generally supposed, would be found not only suffi cient for the wants of nature, but far more conducive to health and longevity, and the enjoyment and improvement of life. However, in this instance, these youths, placed in circumstances of peculiar trial, were enabled to exercise confidence on the especial blessing of God, by which this mean and coarse provision became to them so agreeable and nutritious that they were under no farther temptation to partake of the royal dainties. Beans These vegetables, of which several kinds are well known in our own country, were also cultivated freely in Syria, and used sometimes in making a coarse kind of bread-as alluded to, Ezek iv. 9. and sometimes eaten parched, but more frequently stewed with garlic and oil, or butter, until reduced to a pulp, so forming a kind of soup or pottage. Dressed in this manner, they still form a principal article of food to some Eastern nations, especially to the people of Barbary. Beans were brought by Barzillai to David, 2 Sam. xvii. 28. Lentiles. The mention of these occurs in the same passages as the former. They grow abundantly in Egypt and the neighbouring countries, and were much esteemed by the ancients. Dressed in the manner abovementioned in reference to beans, they form a very relishing kind of soup or pottage, to which they give |