לבונה, Exod. xxx, 34, &c. λίϐανος, Matt. ii, 11; Rev.
xviii, 13, a dry, resinous substance, of a yellowish white colour, a
strong fragrant smell, and bitter, acrid taste. The tree which produces
it is not known. Dioscorides mentions it as procured from India. What is
here called the pure frankincense is, no doubt, the same with the
_mascula thura_ of Virgil, and signifies what is first obtained from the
tree.
FRIEND is taken for one whom we love and esteem above others, to whom we
impart our minds more familiarly than to others, and that from a
confidence of his integrity and good will toward us: thus Jonathan and
David were mutually friends. Solomon, in his book of Proverbs, gives the
qualities of a true friend. “A friend loveth at all times:” not only in
prosperity, but also in adversity; and, “there is a friend that sticketh
closer than a brother.” He is more hearty in the performance of all
friendly offices; he reproves and rebukes when he sees any thing amiss.
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” His sharpest reproofs proceed
from an upright, and truly loving and faithful soul. He is known by his
good and faithful counsel, as well as by his seasonable rebukes.
“Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so does the sweetness of a
man’s friend by hearty counsel:” by such counsel as comes from his very
heart and soul, and is the language of his inward and most serious
thoughts. The company and conversation of a friend is refreshing and
reviving to a person, who, when alone, is sad, dull, and inactive. “Iron
sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” The
title, “the friend of God,” is principally given to Abraham: “Art not
thou our God, who gavest this land to the seed of Abraham, thy friend,
for ever?” And in Isaiah xli, 8, “But thou Israel art the seed of
Abraham, my friend.” “And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith,
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness; and
he was called the friend of God,” James ii, 23. This title was given
him, not only because God frequently appeared to him, conversed
familiarly with him, and revealed his secrets to him, “Shall I hide from
Abraham that thing which I do?” Gen. xviii, 17; but also because he
entered into a covenant of perpetual friendship both with him and his
seed. Our Saviour calls his Apostles “friends:” “But I have called you
friends;” and he adds the reason of it, “for all things that I have
heard of my Father, I have made known unto you,” John xv, 15. As men use
to communicate their counsels and their whole mind to their friends,
especially in things which are of any concern, or may be of any
advantage for them to know and understand, so I have revealed to you
whatever is necessary for your instruction, office, comfort, and
salvation. And this title is not peculiar to the Apostles only, but is
common with them to all true believers. The friend of the bridegroom is
the brideman; he who does the honours of the wedding, and leads his
friend’s spouse to the nuptial chamber. John the Baptist, with respect
to Christ and his church, was the friend of the bridegroom; by his
preaching he prepared the people of the Jews for Christ, John iii, 29.
Friend is a word of ordinary salutation, whether to a friend or foe: he
is called friend who had not on a wedding garment, Matt. xxii, 12. And
our Saviour calls Judas the traitor friend. Some are of opinion that
this title is given to the guest by an irony, or antiphrasis; meaning
the contrary to what the word importeth; or that he is called so,
because he appeared to others to be Christ’s friend; or was so in his
own esteem and account, though falsely, being a hypocrite. However, this
being spoken in the person of him who made the feast, it is generally
taken for a usual compellation, and that Christ, following the like
courteous custom of appellation and friendly greeting, did so salute
Judas, which yet left a sting behind it in his conscience, who knew
himself to be the reverse of what he was called. The name of friend is
likewise given to a neighbour. “Which of you shall have a friend, and
shall go to him at midnight, and say, Friend, lend me three loaves?”
Luke xi, 3.
xviii, 13, a dry, resinous substance, of a yellowish white colour, a
strong fragrant smell, and bitter, acrid taste. The tree which produces
it is not known. Dioscorides mentions it as procured from India. What is
here called the pure frankincense is, no doubt, the same with the
_mascula thura_ of Virgil, and signifies what is first obtained from the
tree.
FRIEND is taken for one whom we love and esteem above others, to whom we
impart our minds more familiarly than to others, and that from a
confidence of his integrity and good will toward us: thus Jonathan and
David were mutually friends. Solomon, in his book of Proverbs, gives the
qualities of a true friend. “A friend loveth at all times:” not only in
prosperity, but also in adversity; and, “there is a friend that sticketh
closer than a brother.” He is more hearty in the performance of all
friendly offices; he reproves and rebukes when he sees any thing amiss.
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” His sharpest reproofs proceed
from an upright, and truly loving and faithful soul. He is known by his
good and faithful counsel, as well as by his seasonable rebukes.
“Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so does the sweetness of a
man’s friend by hearty counsel:” by such counsel as comes from his very
heart and soul, and is the language of his inward and most serious
thoughts. The company and conversation of a friend is refreshing and
reviving to a person, who, when alone, is sad, dull, and inactive. “Iron
sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” The
title, “the friend of God,” is principally given to Abraham: “Art not
thou our God, who gavest this land to the seed of Abraham, thy friend,
for ever?” And in Isaiah xli, 8, “But thou Israel art the seed of
Abraham, my friend.” “And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith,
Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness; and
he was called the friend of God,” James ii, 23. This title was given
him, not only because God frequently appeared to him, conversed
familiarly with him, and revealed his secrets to him, “Shall I hide from
Abraham that thing which I do?” Gen. xviii, 17; but also because he
entered into a covenant of perpetual friendship both with him and his
seed. Our Saviour calls his Apostles “friends:” “But I have called you
friends;” and he adds the reason of it, “for all things that I have
heard of my Father, I have made known unto you,” John xv, 15. As men use
to communicate their counsels and their whole mind to their friends,
especially in things which are of any concern, or may be of any
advantage for them to know and understand, so I have revealed to you
whatever is necessary for your instruction, office, comfort, and
salvation. And this title is not peculiar to the Apostles only, but is
common with them to all true believers. The friend of the bridegroom is
the brideman; he who does the honours of the wedding, and leads his
friend’s spouse to the nuptial chamber. John the Baptist, with respect
to Christ and his church, was the friend of the bridegroom; by his
preaching he prepared the people of the Jews for Christ, John iii, 29.
Friend is a word of ordinary salutation, whether to a friend or foe: he
is called friend who had not on a wedding garment, Matt. xxii, 12. And
our Saviour calls Judas the traitor friend. Some are of opinion that
this title is given to the guest by an irony, or antiphrasis; meaning
the contrary to what the word importeth; or that he is called so,
because he appeared to others to be Christ’s friend; or was so in his
own esteem and account, though falsely, being a hypocrite. However, this
being spoken in the person of him who made the feast, it is generally
taken for a usual compellation, and that Christ, following the like
courteous custom of appellation and friendly greeting, did so salute
Judas, which yet left a sting behind it in his conscience, who knew
himself to be the reverse of what he was called. The name of friend is
likewise given to a neighbour. “Which of you shall have a friend, and
shall go to him at midnight, and say, Friend, lend me three loaves?”
Luke xi, 3.