The Ruler Should Be Pure in Thought

The ruler should always be pure in thought, since no impurity ought to stain the one who has taken on the office of wiping away the stains of impurity in the hearts of others too. For the hand that would clean away dirt must itself be clean, or else, being filthy with clinging mud, it will soil whatever it touches all the more. That is why it is said through the prophet: “Be clean, you who carry the vessels of the Lord.” For those carry the vessels of the Lord who undertake, on the pledge of their own way of life, to lead the souls of their neighbors to the eternal sanctuary. So let them see within themselves how purified they ought to be who carry living vessels to the temple of eternity in the bosom of their own personal responsibility. [a]

That is why the divine voice commands that the breastplate of judgment be pressed close on Aaron’s breast with binding bands. For loose thoughts must never take hold of the priestly heart; reason alone should hold it in. Nor should he think anything thoughtless or useless who, set up as he is as an example to others, ought to show by the seriousness of his life how much reason he carries in his breast. On this breastplate it is also carefully prescribed that the names of the twelve patriarchs be engraved. For to carry the fathers always written on the breast is to think without a break on the lives of those of old. The priest walks blamelessly when he studies continually the examples of the fathers who went before him, when he considers without ceasing the footsteps of the saints, and keeps down unlawful thoughts, so that he does not set the foot of his conduct beyond the limit of order.

It is also rightly called the breastplate of judgment, because the ruler ought always to tell good from evil with careful scrutiny, and to consider earnestly what things suit what, and when, and how. Nor should he seek anything for himself, but should count his neighbors’ good as his own gain. That is why it is written in the same place: “And you shall put in Aaron’s breastplate teaching and truth, which will be on Aaron’s breast when he goes in before the Lord; and he will bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his breast in the sight of the Lord continually.” For the priest’s bearing the judgment of the children of Israel on his breast before the face of the Lord means that he examines the cases of those under him with regard only to the mind of the judge within, so that no human admixture clings to him in what he dispenses in God’s place, and no private irritation sharpens the edge of his rebuke. And while he shows himself zealous against the vices of others, let him get rid of his own, so that neither a hidden grudge spoils the calm of his judgment nor headlong anger disturbs it.

But when the terror of him who presides over all things is kept in mind (that is, of the judge within), those under him can be governed only with great fear. And such fear purges the ruler’s mind even as it humbles it, guarding it from being lifted up by presumption of spirit, or defiled by the pleasure of the flesh, or clouded by the nagging of dusty thoughts through lust for earthly things. These things cannot help knocking at the ruler’s mind. But he must hurry to overcome them by resisting, so that the vice that tempts by suggestion does not conquer by the softness of delight and then, driven out of the mind too slowly, slay with the sword of consent.