Happy the water washt His sacred side; In washing 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.