the form of an extract or essential oil prepared from the bark, Ps. xlv. 8.

Thyine Wood.

This is mentioned only Rev. xviii. 12. among the various articles of luxury imported into the modern Babylon. Its name indicates a scented wood, such as are used to burn; some suppose it to be the same with the cypress, and others with the almug tree. It is not easy to determine.

Among GUMS, or fragrant Juices, ascending from trees, the following may be enumerated:

Frankincense. This odoriferous perfume, was obtained from a tree, called by the ancients Thurifera. Its leaves are said, by some writers, to resemble those of a pear-tree; but others describe it as bearing a nearer resemblance to the laurel, or even to the turpentine-tree; this perfume, we find, was imported into Judea from Sheba, see Jer. vi. 20. Isa. lx. 6. Frankincense formed one ingredient in the sacred perfume, (Exod. xxx. 34.) It formed one part of the priest's duty to burn incense in the holy place, on the morning and evening of each day. Zaccharias was thus employed, when the angel Gabriel announced to him the birth of his son, the forerunner of our Lord, Luke i. 10, 11.-On the great day of atonement, at the moment of entering the holy of holies, the high-priest was required to throw some incense on the fire of his censer, that the cloud occasioned by its burning might cover the mercy

seat, as a check, probably, against irreverent curiosity in approaching so near the symbol of the Divine presence.

Myrrh. This too was an ingredient in the sacred perfume, Exod. xxx. 23. it issues, either spontaneously or by incision, from the trunk and larger branches of a tree growing in Egypt, Arabia, and Abyssinia. Its taste is bitter, acrid, and aromatic, and accounted by some very nauseous: its smell, though strong, is agreeable; and it is much used as a dentifrice, and for purifying the gums and breath. It possesses in a high degree the power of resisting putrefaction, hence it was one of the principal ingredients used for embalming the dead, John xix. 39. Myrrh, it appears, was carried as a perfume about the person, Cant. i. 13. v. 5. Myrrh was offered to our Saviour in his last extremity, probably (as has been elsewhere observed) with some mixture of a narcotic kind, usually given, from motives of humanity, to those about to endure a painful and ignominious death, but which the glorious Sufferer in this instance declined, Matt. xxvii. 34. Mark xv. 23.

Stacte. This is usually understood to be the purer kind of myrrh, that which drops or distils from the trees spontaneously; it formed an ingredient in the holy anointing oil, Exod. xxx. 34.

Galbanum. This gum issues from the stem of an umbelliferous plant, growing in Persia, and many parts of Africa. It is soft like wax, and, when tresh drawn, white, but it afterwards becomes yellowish or

reddish. It is of a strong smell, of an acrid and bitter taste, is inflammable like resin, and soluble in water like gum. It was used in the holy anointing oil, Exod. xxx. 34.

It remains to enumerate a few articles mentioned in Scripture, which either come under the general character of Minerals, or are of uncertain classes.

METALS.

Metals are mineral productions, or those which are dug out of the earth, and are distinguished from other bodies by the following particulars; They are brilliant, but not transparent; the former quality distinguishes them from stones, the latter from glass or crystal; they are heavy, in fact the heaviest bodies in nature, for the lightest metal is twice as heavy as the heaviest stone; they are malleable, or capable of being beaten out and spread, which a stone would not do without flying to pieces; they are ductile, or may be drawn out into a wire; and they are fusible, or capable of being melted.

Gold and Silver are called perfect metals, that is, they are indestructible. If kept ever so long in the hottest fire, they sustain no loss or change. Gold is by far the most valuable of metals, and the heaviest. Its great weight is a means of detecting counterfeit imitations of it. It is impossible to get an equal weight into the same bulk. Metals are, as above intimated, submitted to the test of fire; under this process, all that is not gold or silver, passes off as

dross or calx, but leaves the pure metal uninjured. These metals were very early used, as current articles of exchange, and continue to be so to the present day; from the convenience of carrying a considerable quantity of property in a small compass. They have ever been sought and admired for the purposes of splendid and costly personal decoration: and for vessels, both for the service of persons of distinction, and for the temples of religion. Things that are very valuable and durable are also frequently compared to them; in these respects we shall find many scripture references: a few of the most remarkable shall be pointed out. 1. They are referred to as the place of their production, Gen. ii. 11, 12. Job xxviii. 1-6. xxii. 24. Psa. xlv. 9. lxxii. 15. (2.) As the substance of wealth: a man who has much gold and silver is considered a rich man, and as having that which will meet all his temporal wants, Gen. xiii. 2. xxiv. 35. Acts iii. 6. xx. 33. (3.) As articles of exchange and traffic, Gen. xxiii. 15, 16. Job xxviii. 15, 16. (4.) As used for the purposes of personal decoration, especially as an honour and distinction conferred by sovereigns; Abraham's servant presented to Rebekah a golden ear-ring and bracelets, Gen. xxiv. 22. Pharaoh put a chain of gold on Joseph's neck, Gen. xli. 42.; and Belshazzar caused a similar honour to be conferred on Daniel, Dan. v. 29. The wealthy worshipper, to whom timeserving persons are charged with paying undue respect, to the neglect of others, equally, or perhaps

more deserving, is described as "having a gold ring and goodly apparel," James ii. 2. Gold has always been used for crowns, and other royal apparel, Psa. xxi. 3. see also Cant. i. 10. Psa. xlv. 9, 13. (5.) As formed into vessels and utensils of various kinds for the use of wealthy and distinguished persons. "In a great house there are vessels of gold and silver," 2 Tim. ii. 20. Joseph drank out of a silver cup, Gen. xliv. 2. (6.) Many parts of the tabernacle and temple were overlaid or ornamented with gold or silver; and almost all the sacred vessels were formed of those metals, see Exod. xxv. xxvi. xxxv. xxxix. 2 Sam. viii. 11. 1 Kings vi. 20-22. 28, 30, &c. 1 Chron. xxviii. 14-18. xxix. 1-7. 2 Chron. iii. iv. &c. (7.) As the means of promoting the cause of God, and as that which ought to be consecrated to His glory. David, when having offered an immense sum for the service of the sanctuary, acknowledged that both the substance itself, and the heart to offer it, came from God, and added, "Of thine own have we given thee;" wondering even at the condescension which deigned to accept of it. "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord," Hag. ii. 8. also Isa. Ix. 9. (8.) As of themselves an insufficient and unsatisfying portion, Job xxxi. 24. Psa. xvii. 14. xxxix. 6. Eccles. ii. 8, 11. v. 10, 11. Prov. xxiii. 5. (9.) As a great curse, if unjustly attained, Hab. ii. 6. James v. 1-3. (10.) Some things of the greatest value are compared to gold and silver-especially, 1. The Holy Scriptures, the word