Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that the sixth beatitude, "Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God," does not respond to the gift of understanding. Because cleanness of heart seems to belong chiefly to the appetite. But the gift of understanding belongs, not to the appetite, but rather to the intellectual power. Therefore the aforesaid beatitude does not respond to the gift of understanding.

Objection 2: Further, it is written (Acts 15:9): "Purifying their hearts by faith." Now cleanness of heart is acquired by the heart being purified. Therefore the aforesaid beatitude is related to the virtue of faith rather than to the gift of understanding.

Objection 3: Further, the gifts of the Holy Ghost perfect man in the present state of life. But the sight of God does not belong to the present life, since it is that which gives happiness to the Blessed, as stated above (1.2, Question 3, Article 8). Therefore the sixth beatitude which comprises the sight of God, does not respond to the gift of understanding.

On the contrary, Augustine says (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 4): "The sixth work of the Holy Ghost which is understanding, is applicable to the clean of heart, whose eye being purified, they can see what eye hath not seen."

I answer that, Two things are contained in the sixth beatitude, as also in the others, one by way of merit, viz. cleanness of heart; the other by way of reward, viz. the sight of God, as stated above (1.2, Question 69, Articles 2,4), and each of these, in some way, responds to the gift of understanding.

For cleanness is twofold. One is a preamble and a disposition to seeing God, and consists in the heart being cleansed of inordinate affections: and this cleanness of heart is effected by the virtues and gifts belonging to the appetitive power. The other cleanness of heart is a kind of complement to the sight of God; such is the cleanness of the mind that is purged of phantasms and errors, so as to receive the truths which are proposed to it about God, no longer by way of corporeal phantasms, nor infected with heretical misrepresentations: and this cleanness is the result of the gift of understanding.

Again, the sight of God is twofold. One is perfect, whereby God's Essence is seen: the other is imperfect, whereby, though we see not what God is, yet we see what He is not; and whereby, the more perfectly do we know God in this life, the more we understand that He surpasses all that the mind comprehends. Each of these visions of God belongs to the gift of understanding; the first, to the gift of understanding in its state of perfection, as possessed in heaven; the second, to the gift of understanding in its state of inchoation, as possessed by wayfarers.

This suffices for the Replies to the Objections: for the first two arguments refer to the first kind of cleanness; while the third refers to the perfect vision of God. Moreover the gifts both perfect us in this life by way of inchoation, and will be fulfilled, as stated above (1.2, Question 69, Article 2).

Articulus 7

Argumentum 1

Ad septimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod dono intellectus non respondeat beatitudo sexta, scilicet, beati mundo corde, quoniam ipsi deum videbunt.

Munditia enim cordis maxime videtur pertinere ad affectum.

Sed donum intellectus non pertinet ad affectum, sed magis ad vim intellectivam. Ergo praedicta beatitudo non respondet dono intellectus.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, Act. XV dicitur, fide purificans corda eorum.

Sed per purificationem cordis acquiritur munditia cordis.

Ergo praedicta beatitudo magis pertinet ad virtutem fidei quam ad donum intellectus.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, dona spiritus sancti perficiunt hominem in praesenti vita. Sed visio dei non pertinet ad vitam praesentem, ipsa enim beatos facit, ut supra habitum est.

Ergo sexta beatitudo, continens dei visionem, non pertinet ad donum intellectus.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, in libro de serm. Dom. In monte, sexta operatio spiritus sancti, quae est intellectus, convenit mundis corde, qui purgato oculo possunt videre quod oculus non vidit.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod in sexta beatitudine, sicut et in aliis, duo continentur, unum per modum meriti, scilicet munditia cordis; aliud per modum praemii, scilicet visio dei, ut supra dictum est.

Et utrumque pertinet aliquo modo ad donum intellectus. Est enim duplex munditia. Una quidem praeambula et dispositiva ad dei visionem, quae est depuratio affectus ab inordinatis affectionibus, et haec quidem munditia cordis fit per virtutes et dona quae pertinent ad vim appetitivam. Alia vero munditia cordis est quae est quasi completiva respectu visionis divinae, et haec quidem est munditia mentis depuratae a phantasmatibus et erroribus, ut scilicet ea quae de deo proponuntur non accipiantur per modum corporalium phantasmatum, nec secundum haereticas perversitates.

Et hanc munditiam facit donum intellectus.

Similiter etiam duplex est dei visio. Una quidem perfecta, per quam videtur dei essentia. Alia vero imperfecta, per quam, etsi non videamus de deo quid est, videmus tamen quid non est, et tanto in hac vita deum perfectius cognoscimus quanto magis intelligimus eum excedere quidquid intellectu comprehenditur.

Et utraque dei visio pertinet ad donum intellectus, prima quidem ad donum intellectus consummatum, secundum quod erit in patria; secunda vero ad donum intellectus inchoatum, secundum quod habetur in via.

Ad 1

Et per hoc patet responsio ad obiecta. Nam primae duae rationes procedunt de prima munditia. Tertia vero de perfecta dei visione, dona autem et hic nos perficiunt secundum quandam inchoationem, et in futuro implebuntur, ut supra dictum est.