The Grove of Beatitudes, Beatitude 6
The Sixth BEATITUDE. Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God.
EMBLEME VI. The Fig-Tree.
Nec Corniſi punctum. 6.
So pierc'd and pierc'd with ſorrow's dart,
Compunction from a ſinners heart
And eyes, extracteth tears, while grace
(The oppoſite to ſin) takes place.
OF this Tree, there are ſeveral kinds, differing, according to the ſeveral Countries, wherein they grow; the name being generally attributed to all thoſe Trees, which bear a fruit that hath ſome reſemblance to the Fig. But that, which is the ſubject of the preſent Emblem, grows commonly in Spain and Italy, though poſſibly brought thither, at firſt, from ſome other parts of the World. It bears a Fig, without the production of any precedent Bloſſom, which as it ſhould ſeem, hath in it, during the time of its greenneſs, a raw humour; whoſe crudity is ſuch, that it ripeneth not, till a certain Fly or Gnat, gives it a prick or wound. Soon after the Fig hath receiv'd that wound, there diſtills from it a kind of tear, which falls to the earth. After which, the Sun entring in at that narrow paſſage, made by the Fly, the Fig by degrees comes to maturity.
Behold here the Emblem of a Heart, truly contrite, wounded by compunction, and pierc'd with ſorrow; which before, while it was green, was not in a capacity to receive the influences of the Sun of Righteouſneſs; and conſequently could not be ripned, till a paſſage was made for the evacuation of the peccant humour, that ſo the beams of grace might efficaciouſly work upon it.
Let us then conſider, that if this delicate fruit does upon its piercing or wounding diſtil tears, and that in order to its attainment of maturity; it is much more requiſite that the devout Chriſtian ſhould endure the ſtings of remorſe and compunction, in order to his being advanc'd to that perfection, which is requir'd in the pure of Heart.
To this end is it, that a Man ought ſometimes (as Saint Auguſtine ſayes) to make his appearance at the Tribunal of his own Soul, where his own Thoughts will be his Accuſers, his Conſcience the Witneſs, and Grief the Executioner, to wound the ſinful Heart. Then, ſaith he, let the blood, as it were, of the Soul f…w and iſſue forth by tears. Notwithſtanding all this, Who (ſaith Solomon) will glory that he hath a clean Heart? True it is, no Man ſhould glory herein, but give the Glory onelyonly to God. Yet ſince the pure of Heart ſhall onelyonly ſee God, ſuch purity of Heart is required, as is produc'd by the expulſion of ſin, and infuſion of Grace. Therefore David humbly deſired, that his ſin might be blotted out, and that within him might be created a clean Heart. Not a new Heart created, but purity therein; which being produc'd, without any precedent merit of the finners part, may be term'd a Creation.
Therefore Saint Paul tells us, That Charity (which is the ſame ſpiritual quality with Grace) is transfus'd into our Souls; which gives life and vigour, in ſome ſort, as the Soul created and infus'd, informs and gives life and motion to the body.
Me-thinks a Fig, (when but green) pierc'd and wounded as it were by the Gnat, lies expos'd to the bright and hot beams of the Sun; as the Heart of a ſinner doth to the Sun of Juſtice when 'tis plerc'd by compunction. Ah! what Light of Faith, and heat of Love enters through thoſe new …ade paſſages of the Contrite Heart, by which it becomes as it were a new Heart, ripened by Virtue, and embelliſhed by Grace?
Now elevate thine Eyes to behold the wounded Heart of our Lord, not with the ſting of a Gnat, but with a ſharp Spear; not to receive any light or heat of Conſolation, but to lay out the entire ſumm of that infinite treaſure of his precious blood, beſides water, to purifie thy impure Soul, that thou mayſt be bleſſed and ſee God, thereby to enjoy eternal Beatitude.
CONSIDERATIONS ON THE VI. BEATITUDE.
On our Bleſſed Saviour's wounded Heart.
HAving in the Fifth Beatitude, (like a Dove neſtling in the hole of a Rock, as at the Gate of Mercy) entred by Contemplation into Chriſt's wounded ſide, now make a ſtep farther, or rather, with reverence ſtay and view his wounded Heart, moſt pure and clean, where ſin could never find entrance; and ſay, with the Patriarch Jacob, Verily here is no other than the Houſe of God, and the Gate of Heaven. This is the Bleſſed One, pure of Heart, who ever had the happy ſight of God.
Conſider what it is to be clean of Heart. It is to be the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt: To be in the ſtate of Grace, that is, not guilty of any mortal ſin.
And ſince the Heart is the Source and Fountain whence our thoughts perpetually flow; to ſuppreſs all impure cogitations, as they are riſing, is to have a clean Heart, when it is accompanied with a pure intention, directing all our actions to the Honor and Glory of God. And as Saint Auguſtine ſaith, Whatſoever we do, whatſoever we laudably deſire, muſt tend to obtain the Viſion of God, beyond which nothing can be deſired.
Think of the Queſtion propounded by King David: O Lord, Who ſhall dwell in thy Tabernaele, or who ſhall reſt in thy holy hill? And then attend to the Anſwer, which is this: He that liveth uprightly, and worketh righteouſneſs, &c.
This is a hard ſaying. Muſt the Heart be ſo clean as not to have one ſpot? The Child but a day old is not free, and in his Angels God found iniquity. Who, then, ſhall be juſtified in his ſight? Or who can be clean of Heart, while the All-ſeeing Eye of Heaven beholds it.
Appeal (then) to the pure Heart of thy Saviour; rely on his Innocence, not on thine own; on his merits, not on thine. Seeing that Veſſel of Election ſaid, he was guilty of nothing, and yet in that he was not juſtified; yet doubted not to ſay, A Crown of righteouſneſs was due unto him, which the juſt Judge would give him.
I will therefore ſay with David, O Lord turn away thy face (of thy ſevere Juſtice) from my ſins.
And with him add further, Shew me thy face (that is to ſay, of thy mercy) and I ſhall be ſaved. According to thy great mercy, and multitude of thy mercies, cancell my iniquity; waſh me again from mine iniquity, and cleanſe me from my ſin; that I may be clean of Heart to enjoy thy ſight.
O my Soul, Keep thy Heart (as the Wiſe man adviſeth thee) with all kind of cuſtody; for out of it (ſaith he) proceeds life. Keep it pure, let not in one mortal ſin to defile it; for then from the Heart would proceed Death, deſtruction of Grace, and loſs of the ſight of God; for Grace is the ſeed of Glory. Let thy Heart be ploughed by Contrition, harrow'd and cleans'd from the weeds of ſin, that this divine ſeed may be ſowen in thy Heart, which ſprings up by holy deſires, and is ripened by virtuous exerciſes.
O my God, thou haſt commanded me to love thee with an entire, pure, and ſincere Heart. Give me (I beſeech thee) what thou commandeſt, by creating in me a clean Heart, and renewing a right Spirit in my bowels; that I may love thee with all my Soul, that my Will may be reſign'd to thine without any contradiction, with all my Mind and Memory, alwayes to think of thee; and with all my powers, that I may employ them in thy ſervice.
To perform all theſe things, I muſt obſerve four things:
Firſt, Seeing all I am and have, Body and Soul, ſpiritual and temporal bleſſings, I have from God; I muſt be alwayes mindfull of his benefits: Serve, honour, and thank him for all, love him above all; and, for him, my Neighbour.
Secondly, I muſt conſider the excellency of God; And ſeeing he is infinitely greater than our Heart, though we ſerve him with all our Heart and powers of our Soul, yet are we defective and inſufficient, and muſt therefore think we never do enough.
Thirdly, We muſt not ſuffer the world to uſurp the leaſt corner of our Heart, by diſordinate Love; for that were injurious to God; as was the placing of the Idol Dagon by the Ark. He is too covetous (ſaith Saint Jerom) whom God cannot ſatiate: And he loves God leſs then he ſhould do, who loves any thing beſides him, according to Saint Auguſtine's opinion.
Fourthly, He that is in mortal ſin hath an impure Heart, and loves not God. Therefore to be clean of Heart, and thereby bleſſed, and by Grace in the way to ſee God; I muſt imitate the pure white Ermine, (a little beaſt) which rather chooſeth to fall into the hands of the Hunter, than make an eſcape through a dirty place, and defile it ſelf.
Me-thinks Chriſt our Saviour, ſtretch'd, and nail'd to the Croſs, reſembles a Croſs-bow, which while I behold, his Heart (darting forth fiery Arrows of Love) a clean and pure Heart ſeems like the White plac'd in the midſt of a Butt, at which it is aimed; upon which repreſentation, I ſhall here inſert a ſhort Deſcant I long ſince made in Verſe.
Tender Arms for our offence,
Drawn and ſtretch'd with violence;
Like a Bow-ſtring now I ſee,
While upon the bloody Tree,
Cruel nails both long and rough,
Sacred Hands are piercing through.
Thus while tender Arms extend,
The ſtring's faſtned at each end:
Jeſus Heart is like the Nutt
Of the Croſs-bow, where are put
Nimble ſhafts with vigour ſent,
Thus the Bow ſtands ready bent.
Sinners (then) prepare your Hearts,
From this bow flie wounding darts.
Stand his Butt, th' Arrows glow,
As th' are flying from this bow;
Midſt the Butt, (to place the White)
Stand his mark and let him ſmite.
Let him pierce and wound thy Heart,
With his torments, pain, and ſmart,
Shafts of ſorrow, grief, and pain,
For thy ſins return again.
So thy Soul being cleans'd from ſin,
And by Grace made pure within,
Stand Chriſt's Butt, that, (when contrite)
A clean Heart may be the White.
Such is a Heart diſengaged and diſentereſſed from all inordinate deſires that may ſoil or ſtreighten that habitacle deſign'd and reſign'd to God. In ſuch an abſolute manner is this to be imagin'd, that one may confidently ſay with King David, Tuus ſum ego, Lord, I am totally thine, not mine own, nor the worlds, nor of the fleſh, nor of ſin; but entirely thine, by a full reſignation, ſubmiſſion, and oblation of my ſelf. To thee I dedicate an entire Heart, with all my ſenſes and cogitations, all my words and works; And reſtore unto thee what I had from thee, a Soul waſht and purified by Baptiſm, and a Heart contrite with Grief, and cleans'd again by true Repentance; Yet ſtill again and again to be waſh'd, and more and more purified.
If by the leaſt mote the corporal Eye be obſcur'd, much more that of the Soul. If I never ceaſe till I have cleans'd and clear'd the one, that I may have a perfect ſight of each object which occurrs, ſhall I not alwayes be cleanſing and purifying that inward Eye which is capable (when clear) of the ſight of God?