29. It is said in the Book of _Wisedom_, _Where water stood before, drie land appeared, and out of the red Sea a way appeared without impediment, and out of the violent streams a green Field_; or as the Latin renders it, _Campus germinans de profundo_: whereby it seems implied that the Israelites passed over a green Field at the bottom of the Sea: and though most would have this but a Metaphorical expression, yet may it be literally tolerable; and so may be safely apprehended by those that sensibly know what great number of Vegetables (as the several varieties of _Alga's_, _Sea Lettuce_, _Phasganium_, _Conferua_, _Caulis Marina_, _Abies_, _Erica_, _Tamarice_, divers sorts of _Muscus_, _Fucus_, _Quercus Marina_ and _Corallins_) are found at the bottom of the Sea. Since it is also now well known, that the Western Ocean, for many degrees, is covered with _Sargasso_ or _Lenticula Marina_, and found to arise from the bottom of that Sea; since, upon the coast of _Provence_ by the Isles of _Eres_, there is a part of the _Mediterranean Sea_, called _la Prairie_, or the _Meadowy Sea_, from the bottom thereof so plentifully covered with Plants: since vast heaps of Weeds are found in the Bellies of some Whales taken in the Northern Ocean, and at a great distance from the Shore: And since the providence of Nature hath provided this shelter for minor Fishes; both for their spawn, and safety of their young ones. And this might be more peculiarly allowed to be spoken of the Red Sea, since the Hebrews named it _Suph_, or the _Weedy Sea_: and, also, seeing _Theophrastus_ and _Pliny_, observing the growth of Vegetables under water, have made their chief illustrations from those in the Red Sea. [Sidenote: _Sycamore._] 30. You will readily discover how widely they are mistaken, who accept the Sycamore mention'd in several parts of Scripture for the Sycamore, or Tree of that denomination, with us: which is properly but one kind or difference of _Acer_, and bears no Fruit with any resemblance unto a Figg. But you will rather, thereby, apprehend the true and genuine Sycamore, or _Sycaminus_, which is a stranger in our parts. A Tree (according to the description of _Theophrastus_, _Dioscorides_ and _Galen_) resembling a Mulberry Tree in the Leaf, but in the Fruit a Figg; which it produceth not in the Twiggs but in the Trunck or greater Branches, answerable to the Sycamore of _Ægypt_, the Ægyptian Figg or Giamez of the Arabians, described by _Prosper Alpinus_, with a Leaf somewhat broader than a Mulberry, and in its Fruit like a Figg. Insomuch that some have fancied it to have had its first production from a Figg Tree grafted on a Mulberry. It is a Tree common in _Judæa_, whereof they made frequent use in Buildings; and so understood, it explaineth that expression in _Isaiah_:[203] _Sycamori excisi sunt, Cedros substituemus. The Bricks are fallen down, we will build with hewen Stones: The Sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into Cedars._