through the Red Sea, when the waters retired, and had received the Law, which he gave to
this people. This was that whereupon the Jewish nation was lifted up, and through this very
pride it happened that they were not willing to humble themselves to Christ the author of
humility, and the restrainer of proud swelling, to God the Physician, who, being God, for
this cause became Man, that man might know himself to be but man. O mighty remedy! If
this remedy cure not pride, I know not what can cure it. He is God, and is made Man; He
lays aside His Divinity, that is, in a manner sequestrates,2630 hides, that is, what was His
Own, and appears only in that He had taken to Him. Being God He is made man: and man
will not acknowledge himself to be man, that is, will not acknowledge himself to be mortal,
will not acknowledge himself to be frail, will not acknowledge himself to be a sinner, will
not acknowledge himself to be sick, that so at least as sick he may seek the physician; but
what is more perilous still, he fancies himself in sound health.
12. So then for this reason that people did not come to Him, that is by reason of pride;
and the natural branches are said to be broken off from the olive tree, that is from that people
founded2631 by the Patriarchs; in other words, the Jews are for their punishment justly
barren through the spirit of pride; and the wild olive is grafted into that olive tree. The wild
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olive tree is the people of the Gentiles. So says the Apostle, “that the wild olive tree is grafted
into the good olive tree, but the natural branches are broken off.”2632 Because of pride they
were broken off: and the wild olive tree grafted in because of humility. This humility did
the woman show forth when she said, “Truth, Lord,” “I am a dog, I desire only the crumbs.”
In this humility also did the Centurion please Him; who when he desired that his servant
might be healed by the Lord, and the Lord said, “I will come and heal him,” answered, “Lord,
I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only, and
my servant shall be healed. I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof.”2633
He did not receive Him into his house, but he had received Him already in his heart. The
more humble, the more capacious, and the more full. For the hills drive back the water, but
the valleys are filled by it. And what then, what said the Lord to those who followed Him
after that he had said, “I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof”? “Verily
I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel;” that is, in that people to
whom I came, “I have not found so great faith.” And whence great? Great from being the
least, that is, great from humility. “I have not found so great faith;” like a grain of mustard
seed, which by how much smaller it is, by so much the more burning is it. Therefore did
2630 Sequestrat.
2631 Creato.
2632 Rom. xi. 17, etc.
2633 Matt. viii. 7, etc.
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On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xv. 21,’Jesus went out thence, and withdrew…