vER. G— 9. ST. LUKE. 479 becausethey would not receivethe name of the Saviour. Thattower representsHim who is the tower of strength. And thisisrightlyin Siloam,which isinterpreted,"sent;" foritsignifiesHim who, sentby the Father,came intothe world,and who shallgrindtopowderallon whom He falls. 6. He spakealsothisparable; A certainman had a figtreeplantedin hisvineyard; and he came and soughtfruitthereon,and foundnone. 7. Then saidhe unto the dresserof his vineyard, Behold,these three years I come seekingfruiton thisfigtree,and findnone; cutitdown : why cum- berethitthe ground? 8. And he answeringsaidunto him, Lord, letit alonethisyear also,tillI shalldig ahout it,and dungit; 9. And ifitbear fruit,well: and ifnot,then after thatthou sbaltcutitdown. TIT.BOST.The Jews were boasting,thatwhilethe eigh teenhad perished,theyallremainedunhurt. He therefore setsbeforethem theparableofthefigtree,foritfollows,He spakealsothisparable; A certainman had afigtreeplanted inhisvineyard.AMBROSE. Therewas a vineyardoftheLord ofHosts,which He gavefora spoiltotheGentiles.And the comparisonof the figtreeto the synagogueiswellchosen, becauseasthattreeaboundswithwideand spreadingfoliage, anddeceivesthe hopesof itspossessorwiththevainexpect ationof promisedfruit,so alsoin the synagogue,whileits teachersare unfruitfulin good works,yet magnifythem selveswithwordsaswithabundantleaves,theempty shadow ofthelawstretchesfarand wide. Thistreealsoisthe only onewhichputsforthfruitinplaceofflowers.And thefruit falls,thatotherfruitmay succeed; yet some few of the formerremain,and do not fall.For the firstpeopleof the synagoguefelloffasa uselessfruit,in orderthatout of the fruitfulnessoftheold religionmightarisethenew peopleof