Mestrezat, Philippe, a Reformed theologian, son of Jean, was born at Geneva. In 1641 he was a professor of pliilosophy in his native city; in 1644 the pastor of a church; and in 1649 a professor of theology. He acquired the reputation of being an original think- er and a good preacher. He died at Geneva in 1690. He publislied many dissertations, among which may be mentioned: De UnionePcrsonaruin in Christo (Gen. 1682, 4to) : — De Communicatione idioiiKitum toti Christo facta (ibid. 1675, 4to) : — De Tolennitin fnitrum dissi- dentium in prcBterfundamentalibus (1G63, 4to) : — Qucss- tionum /ihilosophico-theologicaruni de libero arbiti-io De- cas (1655, 4to). See Senebier, Hist. Litter, de Geneve; Hoefer, Xouv. Biog. Generale, s. v.
Metabolism (from fierajSdXXw, to change) is a term coined by the German theologian Ruckert to de- scribe the doctrinal views of the Christian fathers Ig- natius, Justin, and Irenreus on the Lord's Supper. They stand midway between strict transubstantiation and the merely symbolical view, and hold fast to an objective union of the sensible with the supersensible. See Lord's Supper; Zwingle.
Metagnostics is a synonyme oi metaphysics (q.v.)
(from f.uTa, beyond, and yvihciiQ, knowledge), because it
VI.— K
transcends common knowledge. This name, of course, might be given to the whole system of philosophy.
Metal, a term that nowhere occurs in the Auth.Ver., although the various metals and operations with them are frequently referred to. In the following article, we chiefly make use of those in Kitto's and Smith's dic- tionaries.
The mountains of Palestine contained metals, nor were the Hebrews ignorant of the fact (Deut. viii, 9) ; but they do not appear to have understood the art of mining, unless indeed the numerous allusions apparent- ly to mining operations in Job xxviii are an evidence that these were carried on in the period of the mon- archy. See Mine. They therefore obtained from oth- ers the superior as well as the inferior metals, and worked them up. They received also metal utensils ready made, or metal in plates (Jer. x, 9), from neigh- boring and distant countries of Asia and Europe. The Hebrews, in common with other ancient nations, were acquainted with nearly all the metals known to mod- ern metallurgy, whether as the products of their own soil or the results of intercourse with foreigners. The trade in these metals was chiefly in the hands of the Phoenicians (Ezek. xxvii, 7), who obtained them from their colonies, principally those in Spain (Jer. x, 9; Ezek. xxvii, 12). Some also came from Arabia (Ezek. xxvii, 19), and some apparently from the country of the Caucasus (Ezek. xxvii, 13).
I. One of the earliest geographical definitions is the one describing the country of Havilah as the land which abounded in gold, and the gold of which Avas good (Gen. ii, 11, 12). The first artist in metals was a Cainite, Tubal-cain, the son of Lamech, the forger or sharpener of every instrument of copper (A. V. " brass") and iron (Gen. iv, 22). " Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold" (Gen. xiii, 2) ; silver, as will be shown hereafter, being the medium of commerce, while gold existed in the shape of ornaments during the pa- triarchal ages. The vast quantity of silver and gold used in the Temple in the time of Solomon, and oth- erwise possessed by the Jews during the flourishing time of the nation, is very remarkable, under what- ever interpretation we regard such texts as 1 Chron. xxii, 14 ; xxix, 4, etc. In like manner, we find among other ancient Asiatic nations, and also among the Ro- mans, extraordinary wealth in gold and silver vessels and ornaments of jewelry. As all the accounts, received from sources so various, cannot be founded on exagger- ation, we may rest assured that the precious metals were in those ancient times obtained abundantly from mines — gold from Africa, India, and perhaps even then from Northern Asia ; and silver principally from Spain.
Tin is first mentioned among the spoils of the Mid- ianites which were taken when Balaam was slain (Numb, xxxi, 22), and lead is used to heighten the im- agery of Moses's triumphal song (Exod. xv, 10).
Whether the ancient Hebrews were acquainted with steel, properly so called, is uncertain ; the words so ren- dered in the A. V. (2 Sam. xxii, 35 ; Job xx, 24 ; Psa. xviii, 34; Jer. xv, 12) are in all other passages trans- lated bi-ass, and would be more correctly copper. The "northern iron" of Jer. xv, 12 is believed by commenta- tors to be iron hardened and tempered by some pecul- iar process, so as more nearly to correspond to what we call steel (q. v.) ; and the " flaming torches" of Nah. ii, 3 are probably the flashing steel scythes of the war- chariots which should come against Nineveh.
Besides the simple metals, it is supposed that the Hebrews used the mixture of copper and tin known as bronze, and probably in all cases in which copper is mentioned as in any way manufactured, bronze is to be understood as the metal indicated. But Avith regard to the chashmal (A. V. " amber") of Ezek. i, 4, 27 ; viii, 2, rendered by the Sept. i]XiKTf)ov, and the Vulg. electrum, by which our translators were misled, there is consider- able difhculty. Whatever be the meaning of chashmal, for which no satisfactory etymology has been proposed,