The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 32

_Graeci disputatores divo Paulo mortem machinantur._ Act. ix. 29.

Euge, argumentum! sic disputat: euge, sophista!

Sic pugnum Logices stringere, sic decuit.

Hoc argumentum in causam quid, Graecule, dicit?

Dicit, te in causam dicere posse nihil.[74]

_The Grecian disputants go about to kill St. Paul._

O n.o.ble argument, Sophister rare!

Thus Logic's fist to double be your care.

This argument, poor Greek, what does it weigh?

It says that you have nought at all to say. R. WI.

Cx.x.xIV.

_Qui maximus est inter vos, esto sicut qui minimus._ Luc. xxii. 26.

O bone, discipulus Christi vis maximus esse?

At vero fies hac ratione minor.

Hoc sanctae ambitionis iter, mihi crede, tenendum est, Haec ratio: Tu, ne sis minor, esse velis.

_He that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger._

The greatest of disciples wouldst thou be?

Whoever's so ambitious, less is he.

That thou mai'st not go less, to every one Submit: this, this is Christ's ambition. B.

Cx.x.xV.

_In lacrymantem Dominum._ Luc. xix. 41.

Vobis, Judaei, vobis haec volvitur unda; Quae vobis, quoniam spernitis, ignis erit.

Eia faces, Romane, faces! seges illa furoris, Non nisi ab his undis, ignea messis erit.

_He beheld the city, and wept over it._

For you, O Jews, is roll'd this tearful tide, Which as a flame shall glow, since ye deride.

Torches, Rome's torches--those wild-waving ears A fiery crop shall prove, fed by these tears. R. WI.

Cx.x.xVI.

_Christus in Aegypto._ Matt. ii. 19-21.

Hunc tu, Nile, tuis majori flumine monstra; Hunc, nimis ignotum, dic caput esse tibi.

Jam tibi, Nile, tumes; jam te quoque multus inunda: Ipse tuae jam sis laet.i.tiae fluvius.

_Christ in Egypt._

With prouder stream, Nile, show Him to thine own; Call Him thy fountain-head, too little known: Now swelling for thyself, thyself o'erflow; And with its own joy let thy current glow. R. WI.

Cx.x.xVII.

_In caecos Christum confitentes, Pharisaeos abnegantes._ Matt. ix.

27-31.

Ne mihi tu, Pharisaee ferox, tua lumina jactes: En caecus! Christum caecus at ille videt.

Tu, Pharisaee, nequis in Christo cernere Christum: Ille videt caecus; caecus es ipse videns.[75]

_The blind confessing Christ, the Pharisees denying._

Cast not thine eyes on me, proud Pharisee, Lo, this blind man, though blind, yet Christ can see.

Thou, Pharisee, canst not in Christ Christ find; The blind man sees Him, and the seer's blind. G. & B.

Cx.x.xVIII.

_Si quis pone me veniet, tollat crucem et sequatur me._ Matt. xvi. 24.

Ergo sequor, sequor, en, quippe et mihi crux mea, Christe, est: Parva quidem; sed quam non satis, ecce, rego.

Non rego? non parvam hanc? ideo neque parva putanda est.

Crux magna est, parvam non bene ferre crucem.

_If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me._

Therefore I follow, lo, I follow on; My cross is with me, yet not rightly worn.

It little is compar'd with Thine, I own; Yet little is not being wrongly borne. G.

Cx.x.xIX.

_Relictis omnibus sequutus est eum._ Luc. v. 28.

Quas Matthaeus opes, ad Christi jussa, reliquit; Tum primum vere coepit habere suas.[76]

Iste malarum est usus opum bonus, unicus iste; Esse malas homini, quas bene perdat, opes.

_And he left all ... and followed Him._

To be rich, truly rich, Matthew did take The right way, when he left all for Christ's sake.

This is the one good use of ill-got wealth; For ill-got 'tis which, leaving, bringeth health. B. & G.

CXL.