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| That the ruler should be pure in thought.
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Chapter II.
That the ruler should be pure in thought.
The ruler should always be pure in thought,
inasmuch as no impurity ought to pollute him who has undertaken the
office of wiping away the stains of pollution in the hearts of others
also; for the hand that would cleanse from dirt must needs be clean,
lest, being itself sordid with clinging mire, it soil whatever it
touches all the more. For on this account it is said through the
prophet, Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord (Isai. lii. 11). For they bear the vessels
of the Lord who undertake, on the surety of
their own conversation, to conduct the souls of their neighbours to the
eternal sanctuary. Let them therefore perceive within themselves
how purified they ought to be who carry in the bosom of their own
personal responsibility living vessels to the temple of eternity.
Hence by the divine voice it is enjoined (Exod. xxviii. 15), that on the breast of Aaron the
breastplate1268
| 1268 For
breastplate (A.V.) the LXX. has λογεῖον, and the
Vulgate, from which St. Gregory quotes, rationale. On the
significance of this word the application depends. Anciently an
ornament called the rationale was attached to the vestments of
bishops. “Rationale…Ornamenti genus quo ornantur
casulæ aliaque vestes ecclesiasticæ” (Ducange).
The vestment itself seems also to have been sometimes called the
rationale. “Vestis episcopalis novæ
legis, le pallium” (Ib.). | of judgment
should be closely pressed by binding fillets; seeing that lax
cogitations should by no means possess the priestly heart, but reason
alone constrain it; nor should he cogitate anything indiscreet or
unprofitable, who, constituted as he is for example to others, ought to
shew in the gravity of his life what store of reason he carries in his
breast. And on this breastplate it is further carefully
prescribed that the names of the twelve patriarchs should be
engraved. For to carry always the fathers registered on the
breast is to think without intermission on the lives of the
ancients. For the priest then walks blamelessly when he pores
continually on the examples of the fathers that went before him, when
he considers without cease the footsteps of the Saints, and keeps down
unlawful thoughts, lest he advance the
foot of his conduct beyond the limit of
order. And it is also well called the breastplate of judgment,
because the ruler ought ever with subtle scrutiny to discern between
good and evil, and studiously consider what things are suitable for
what, and when and how; nor should he seek anything for himself, but
esteem his neighbours’ good as his own advantage. Hence in
the same place it is written, But thou shalt put in the breastplate
of Aaron doctrine and truth1269
| 1269 For Urim and
Thummim (as in A.V., retaining the Hebrew words), the LXX. has
τὴν
δήλωσιν καὶ
τὴν
ἀλήθειαν, and the
Vulgate, quoted by St. Gregory, Doctrinam et Veritatem. | , which
shall be upon Aaron’s breast, when he goeth in before the
Lord, and he shall bear the judgment of the
children of Israel upon his breast in the sight of the Lord continually (Ibid.
30). For the
priest’s bearing the judgment of the children of Israel on his
breast before the face of the Lord means his
examining the causes of his subjects with regard only to the mind of
the judge within, so that no admixture of humanity cleave to him in
what he dispenses as standing in God’s
stead, lest private vexation should exasperate the keenness of his
censure. And while he shews himself zealous against the vices of
others, let him get rid of his own lest either latent grudge vitiate
the calmness of his judgment, or headlong anger disturb it. But
when the terror of Him who presides over all things is considered (that
is to say of the judge within), not without great fear may subjects be
governed. And such fear indeed purges, while it humiliates, the
mind of the ruler, guarding it against being either lifted up by
presumption of spirit, or defiled by delight of the flesh, or obscured
by importunity of dusty thought through lust for earthly things.
These things, however, cannot but knock at the ruler’s
mind: but it is necessary to make haste to overcome them by
resistance, lest the vice which tempts by suggestion should subdue by
the softness of delight, and, this being tardily expelled from the
mind, should slay with the sword of consent.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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