The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 22

Happy the water washt His sacred side; In was.h.i.+ng Christ itself is purify'd.

Each drop that trickled down His body, there Staying a gem, thence falling was a tear. B.

LXIX.

_Mulieri incurvatae medetur Dominus, indignante Archisynagogo._ Luc.

xiii. 11.

In proprios replicata sinus quae repserat, et jam Daemonis, infelix, nil nisi nodus erat, Solvitur ad digitum Domini: sed strictior illo Unicus est nodus; cor, Pharisaee, tuum.

_The bowed-down woman healed by the Lord, the Synagogue-ruler is displeased._

Creeping and doubled erewhile in her woe, Lo, now she stands erect: Christ willed it so.

Daemonic knots are loos'd beneath His hands; But thy heart, Pharisee, still rigid stands. G.

LXX.

_Neque ausus fuit quisquam ex illo die eum amplius interrogare._ Matt.

xxii. 46.

Christe, malas fraudes, Pharisaica retia, fallis: Et miseros sacro discutis ore dolos.

Ergo tacent tandem, atque invita silentia servant: Tam bene non aliter te potuere loqui.[56]

_Neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions._

Nets, frauds of Pharisees, the Lord beguiles; His sacred lips disperse the wretched wiles.

So they were silent--enforc'd so to be: Such silence, Lord, their best address to Thee. G.

LXXI.

_S. Joannes matri suae._ Matt. xx. 20.

O mihi cur dextram, mater, cur, oro, sinistram Poscis, ab officio mater iniqua tuo?

Nolo manum Christi dextram mihi, nolo sinistram: Tam procul a sacro non libet esse sinu.

_St. John and his mother._

Mother, why ask you right or left for me?

The benefit would be an injury.

Nor right nor left for me convenient are: From His sweet bosome either is too far. B.

LXXII.

_Si filius Dei es, dejice te._ Matt. iv. 6.

Ni se dejiciat Christus de vertice Templi, Non credes quod sit Filius ille Dei?

At mox te humano de pectore dejicit: heus tu, Non credes quod sit Filius ille Dei?

_If Thou be the Son of G.o.d, cast Thyself down._

Cast Thyself from the pinacle whereon I set Thee, or I think Thee not G.o.d's Son.

No; but He'l cast thee from the hearts of men, Satan. Wilt not believe He's G.o.d's Son then? B.

LXXIII.

_Dominus flens ad Judaeos._ Luc. xix. 41.

Discite, vos miseri, venientes discite flammas; Nec facite o lacrymas sic periisse meas.

Nec periisse tamen poterunt: mihi credite, vestras Vel reprimet flammas haec aqua, vel faciet.

_The Lord weeping over the Jews._

Think on the coming flames I would prevent; Let not My tears for you in vain be spent.

And yet they can't be spent in vain; for sure This water flames will quench, or else procure. B.

LXXIV.

_Nec velut hic Publica.n.u.s._ Luc. xviii. 11.

Istum? vile caput! quantum mihi gratulor, inquis, Istum quod novi tam mihi dissimilem!

Vilis at iste abiit sacris acceptior aris: I nunc, et jactes hunc tibi dissimilem.

_Nor even as this publican._

Him, 'vile wretch!' Ah, myself how much I pride That I am utterly unlike to him!

The 'vile wretch' leaves G.o.d's altar justified: Now go and boast thou art unlike to him. G.

LXXV.

_In Saulum fulgore nimio excaecatum._ Act. ix. 3.

Quae lucis tenebrae? quae nox est ista dici?

Nox nova, quam nimii luminis umbra facit.

An Saulus fuerit caecus, vix dicere possum; Hoc scio, quod captus lumine Saulus erat.[57]

_On Saul blinded with too much light._

What darken'd noon is here? what mid-day night?

It is the shadow cast by too much light.

Saul may be blind or not; all I can say, Ta'en within Heaven's light earth's light fades away. R. WI.