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282; Arvieux, P'oyrtr/e, iii, 238; Pococke, ii, 63 ; Niebuhr Besch. p. 53 ; Shaw, Trav. p. 203 ; Burckhardt, Wahaby p. 51 ; Rosenmiiller, Morgenl. iv, 138 ; Robinson, ii, 726- 111, 201). Whether they drank wine during the meal (like the Romans) or after it (like the Egyptians, Herod. 11, 278, and Persians, Herod, v, 18, and as is stiU the prac- tice of most Arabians and Persians, Chardin, iv, 44, 52 ; Arvieux, iii, 277; Burckhardt, Sjnrichen,]). 137; comp! Josephus, Ant. xv, 1, 2), is not positively stated, al- though the Talmud (Babylon. Berach. p. 251) seems to imply that the Jews did both, the draught following the meal, however, being the principal one {Berach.viif, 4,7; comp. Robinson, ii, 726). See Eatixg. (See gen- erally M. Geier, in the Biblioth. Lubec. v, 1 sq.)— Winer, ii, 47. See Entertaixjient. ,
like a bag, the food being laid
covering it, comp. Niebuhr, Trav. i, 372 ; Paulus, Samml. Ill, 101) as appears likewise from the pattern of the ta- ble of show-bread. See Table. Meat and vegetables, the hrst cut into smaU pieces (the loins and shoulders affording what were regarded as choice morsels, Ezek XXIV 4), were set on the table in large platters, out of which each guest took his share with his fingers upon the flat pieces of bread, and ate without either knife or fiiric (comp. Zorn, in the Miscell. Duisburg. ii, 437 sq • Manti Irav. p. 284) ; or was sometimes helped bv the ftost (1 Jsam. 1, 4; comp. John xiii, 26; Xen. Ci/rop. i, 3, ;iV .. '^^''T °f b'-e^fl ^^-ere dipped into the sauce (Matt. XXVI, 23 ; Aristoph. Eg. 1116), and the vegetables ^^ere conveyed from the dish by means of the hand or hngers to the mouth (comp. Prov. xix, 24; xxvi 15- l.uth 11 14 IS not in point), a custom which still prevails in the East even at the royal table (Tavernier, Trav. i,
Meal-tub Plot is the name of a plot concocted on the part of Romanists, but intended to be fathered on a number of eminent persons engaged in the interests of the Protestants during the reign of Charles H, in the year 1679. A conspiracy on the part of the Jesuits to dethrone or make away with Charles, and place the duke of York (who was in favor of the papal rule) on the throne, having come to light, the papists, exasperated, determined to set on foot a sham plot, and brand the Presbyterians as the originators. The dastardly at- tempt was timely discovered, and heaped infamy upon the already spotted character of the Jesuits. For a full account, see Neale, Hist, of the Puritans, ii, 290 ; Stough- ton, Ecd.llist. of Engl. {Ch. of the Restoration), ii, 2l'sq. Mea'ni {Mtavi v. r. Mavi and Maavi), a less cor- rect form (1 Esdr. v, 31) for the Meiiuxiji (ii. v.) of the Heb. text (Ezra ii, 50).
Means of Grace, a convenient but unscientific and unscriptural phrase for those exercises or agencies which become the channel or occasion of spiritual influences to the Christian. The doctrine concerning the means of grace is based on that of grace itself. It has only received its adequate form through the Reformation, which, in opposition to the Roman Church, who consid- ers that grace is imparted by the visible Church, par- ticiflarly by the priest, asserts as the only regular means of grace the Word of God and the sacraments insti- tuted by Christ. In popular language, however, the term "means of grace" is extended so as to include those duties which we perform for the purpose of improving our minds, affecting our hearts, and of obtaining spirit^ ual blessings ; such as hearing the Gospel, reading the Scriptures, self-examination, meditation, praver, praise. Christian conversation, etc. The means are" to be used without any reference to merit, solely with a depend- ence on the divine Being; nor can we" ever expect hap- piness in ourselves, nor be good exemplars to others, while we live in the neglect of them. It is in vain to argue that the divine willingness to bestow grace super- sedes the necessity of them, since God has as certainly appointed the means as the end. Besides, he himsel'f generally works by them, and the more means he thinks proper to use, the more he displays his glorious perfec- tions. Jesus Christ, when on earth, used means ; he prayed, he exhorted, and did good, by going from place to place. Indeed, tlie systems of nature, providence, and grace are all carried on by means. The Scriptures abound with exhortations to them (MatUv; Rom. xii), and none but enthusiasts or immoral oharaeters ever re- fuse to use them. In the following article we use the term in its more restricted sense, as "related to the sacra- mental controversy between Roman Catholics and Prot- estants, condensing the statements in Herzog's Real- Encykiop. v, 200 sq.
The starting-point of the Protestant doctrine on this subject is contained in the fifth article of the Confession f/-l 'igsbtirg. Grace itself is presupposed, such as exists m the form of justification by faith. The hearing of the Word and the partaking of the sacraments are meth- ods of arriving at this faith : « Nam per verbum et sa- craraenta, tamquam per instrumenta donatur Spiritus
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