The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
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.
