PLANTS IN SCRIPTURE 133 



more significantly spoken of this sycamore ; this being 

 described to be arbor vasta, a large and well-rooted 

 tree, whose removal was more difficult than many 

 others. And so the instance in that text, is very 

 properly made in the sycamore tree, one of the largest 

 and less removable trees among them. A tree so 

 lasting and well-rooted, that the sycamore which 

 Zaccheus ascended is still shown in Judsea unto 

 travellers ; as also the hollow sycamore at Maturaea 

 in Egypt, where the blessed virgin is said to have re- 

 mained : which though it relisheth of the legend, yet 

 it plainly declareth what opinion they had of the lasting 

 condition of that tree, to countenance the tradition ; 

 for which they might not be without some experience, 

 since the learned describer of the pyramids observeth, 

 that the old Egyptians made coffins of this wood, which 

 he found yet fresh and undecayed among divers of 

 their mummies. 



And thus, also, when Zaccheus climbed up into a 

 6ycamore above any other tree, this being a large and 

 fair one, it cannot be denied that he made choice of a 

 proper and advantageous tree to look down upon our 

 Saviour. 



32. "For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree, 



