628 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XIX. in the crowd, saw not Christ,but having advanced beyond the vulgarignorance,was thought worthy to entertainHim, whom he desiredto look upon. BEDE. Or the crowd,that is,the generalhabit of vice,which rebuked the blindman cryingout, lesthe should seek the light,alsoimpedes Zac- chseuslooking up that he might not see Jesus; that as bv cryingout the more the blind man overcame the crowd,so the man weak in the faithby forsakingearthlythings,and climbingthe treeof the Cross,surmounts the opposingmul titude.The sycamore,which isa treeresemblingthe mulberry in foliage,but exceedingitin height,whence by the Latins itiscalled" lofty,"iscalledthe " foolishfig-tree;"and sothe Cross ofour Lord sustainsbelievers,as the fig-treefigs,and ismocked by unbelieversas foolishness.This treeZacchaeus, who was littlein stature,climbed up,thathe might be raised togetherwith Christ; for every one who is humble, and Gal.6,14.consciousof his own weakness, criesout, God forbidthat I shouldglory,save in the crossof our Lord Jesus Christ. AMBROSE. He has well added, that our Lord was to pass thatway, eitherwhere the sycamore treewas, or where he was who was about to believe,thatso He might preservethe mystery,and sow the seeds of grace. For He had so come as thatthrough the Jews He came to the Gentiles. He sees then Zacchsensabove,foralreadythe excellenceof hisfaith shone forthamidst the fruitsof good works,and the loftiness of thefruitfultree;but Zacchaeusstandsout above thetree,as one who isabove the law. BEDE. The Lord as He journeyed came tothe placewhere Zacchaeushad climbedthe sycamore, forhaving sentHis preachersthroughoutthe world in whom He Himself spoke and went, He comes to the Gentile people,who were alreadyraisedup on high through faithin His Passion,and whom when He looked up He saw,forHe chose them through grace. Now our Lord once abodein the house of the chiefof the Pharisees,but when He did works such as none but God could do, they railedat Him. Matt.23,Wherefore hating their deeds He departed,saying,Your house shall be leftunto you desolate; but now He must needs stayat the house of the weak Zacchaeus,thatis,by the graceof the new law brightlyshining,He must takerestin the heartsof the lowlynations. But thatZacchaeusisbidto