Chastity untouched. The chaste heart is the mirror of God.

Imago primi saeculi Societatis Iesu a Provincia Flandro-Belgica eiusdem Societatis repraesentata.
Antwerp, Balthasar Moretus at the Plantin Press, 1640.
(BRF0088)

The Imago, first published by the Plantin Press in 1640, employs the emblem book format of symbols, poetry, and narrative in the service of a history celebrating the first centenary of the Jesuits. The work recounts the order’s foundation, development, and accomplishments. The pages shown here extoll the virtue of chastity. The power of God to keep one untouched by the tyranny of temptation is represented by the bush that remains unscathed in spite of being engulfed in flames. Conversely, the serene lake reflecting the image of the sun like a mirror suggests the power of chastity to bring the heart and mind closer to God.