In the Parable of St. _Luke_, it is said, _Lo, these three Years come I seeking Fruit on this Figtree_; as if _Jesus_ came annually and successively for _three Years_ together: but according to the Original, it ought to be read, _Lo, it is three Years and I now come_, or, _Lo, the three Years are now past, and I come_. And here it is to be noted, that whether we understand the Figtree, as a Figure of the Church in particular, or of Mankind in general; the mystical Number of _three Years_ will terminate about the same Time, against the Evangelical Sabbath, on which the Unfruitfulness of the Church, or of Mankind, according to the Fathers, is to have an End put to it. And _Jesus_, when he came to the Figtree, _found nothing thereon but Leaves only_: So _Jesus_, when he comes to his Church, will find nothing in her but Leaves only. And what is here meant by Leaves? Let the Fathers, such as[170] St. _Hilary_, St. _John_[171] _of Jerusalem_, and[172] St. _Theophylact_ tell us, who by Leaves understand a vain and empty Appearance of Wisdom and good Works, or the Words and Letter of the Scriptures, which are the Leaves of the Oracle, without any Figs of spiritual Interpretations of them. And whether this ben't the Case of the Church at present, our _Divines_ are to consider. The Figs that _Jesus_ may be supposed to look for at his Coming, are not only the Fruits of the Spirit mention'd by St. _Paul_, but[173] _spiritual Interpretations_ of the Scriptures, which St. _Jerome_[174] says are _mystical Figs_; because, as ripe Figs are sweet to the Palate of our Mouths, so are they no less delicious to the Soul of Man. But _Jesus_ is said to be _hungry_ after Figs: so will _Jesus_ in Spirit _hunger_ for the mystical Figs of his Church, that is, as _Origen_[175] rightly interprets, he will earnestly desire, like a Man that is hungry, the Fruits of the Spirit in his Church, which will be as grateful to him as Figs can be to a Man naturally. To understand this Expression of _Jesus_'s _Hunger_ literally, is such a mean Circumstance of Life, that unless it be, what's next to impossible, necessarily introductory to some noble Transaction, its unfit to be remember'd of a _Saint_ in History. _Diogenes Laertius_ would have disdain'd to mention such a frivolous Circumstance in the Life of a Philosopher as _this_ of _Jesus_. But if we understand this _Hunger_ in _Jesus_ mystically, and figuratively of his Desires of the Fruits of the Spirit in his Church, it is sublime and noble; and the Emblem confessedly proper and instructive.