A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More

Marcus Cicero said, "I will follow reason wherever it leads me" original: Rationem, quòd ea me cunque ducet, fequar. I considered that I then began to honor my profession original: "adorn my Function" and, among other priestly garments, specifically to put on the Rationale the Rationale: from the Latin rationalis, this refers to the "Breastplate of Judgment" worn by the High Priest Aaron (Exodus 28:15). More uses the name to link the garment to the concept of Reason (Ratio)., the priestly breastplate. This garment rightfully claims its place in that region which is the seat of the heart, as the simplicity and sincerity of the heart are the root and wellspring of the soundest and purest reason.

Truly, I cannot well imagine any other moral reason why Aaron’s robes should be such an exact representation of the universe—
Philo, On Monarchy*

"a representation and a kind of imitation of the world" original: ἀπεικόνισμα καὶ μίμημά τι τοῦ κόσμου, as Philo Philo of Alexandria (c. 20 BCE – 50 CE), a Jewish philosopher who sought to harmonize the Torah with Greek philosophy. calls it—unless it is that every priest should endeavor, according to his opportunity and capacity, to also be as much as he can a rational man or philosopher. (Certainly, this is the reason why universities were first established and continue to this very day.) Philo himself suggests something to this purpose:
"For the Law wishes the high priest to have an image resembling the universe, so that by continuous contemplation he may make his own life worthy of the nature of the whole" original: Βούλεται γὰρ τὸν ἀρχιερέα εἰκόνα τοῦ παντὸς ἔχειν ἐμφερῆ, ἵνα ἐκ τῆς συνεχούς θέας ἄξιος παρέχῃ τὸν ἴδιον βίον τῇ τῶν ὅλων φύσεως.

This means that the High Priest, by continually reflecting upon his attire which represented the universe, might be reminded not to do or speak anything contrary to its laws, or in opposition to the rules of eternal Reason. This eternal Reason is that everlasting High Priest, as
In his On Dreams*.

Philo elsewhere suggests: "For there are, it seems, two temples of God: one is this universe, in which the High Priest is His first-born, the Divine Logos Logos: Greek for "Word" or "Reason." In Christian philosophy, it refers to the second person of the Trinity (Christ) as the organizing principle of the universe. or eternal Wisdom; the other is the rational soul, whose priest is the true man" original: Δύο γάρ, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἱερὰ Θεοῦ· ἓν μὲν ὅδε ὁ κόσμος, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς ὁ πρωτόγονος αὐτοῦ, ὁ Θεῖος λόγος· ἕτερον δὲ ἡ λογικὴ ψυχή, ἧς ἱερεὺς ὁ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν ἄνθρωπος. That is to say, the priest is the Intellect (as Plotinus Plotinus (c. 204–270 CE), the founder of Neoplatonism. says somewhere), which is the image of the Divine Logos, as
Stromat. book 5.

Clement Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215 CE), a Christian theologian who integrated Greek philosophy with Christianity. has expressed it: "For the image of God is the Divine and Royal Logos, the impassible Man original: ἄνθρωπος ἀπαθής; a man not subject to suffering or shifting emotions; but the image of this image is the human intellect" original: Εἰκὼν μὲν γὰρ Θεοῦ λόγος Θεῖος καὶ βασιλικός, ἄνθρωπος ἀπαθής, εἰκὼν δ' εἰκόνος ἀνθρώπινος νοῦς.

So, although the Divine Reason or Logos is that eternal High Priest who was to be incarnated in time—and of whom Aaron in his priestly robes was only a type and figure—nevertheless, because man is an image of Him (and every priest in a more special manner), he is to endeavor to adorn himself with such accomplishments as are represented by those rich and precious garments of Aaron. Among these, the Rationale (the breastplate) had a chief place.

For while it belongs to that everlasting Logos alone to be the Maker of the world, to fill every part of it with His presence, and to be (in a sense) vitally clothed with it; yet, through the goodness of God, every Christian priest may share in being invested and adorned with the knowledge of the laws and measures of creation. He may take notice of the "reasons of nature," of which the eternal Logos is the Maker and Governor. This is very consistent with what Philo writes regarding the shape of the Rationale or priestly breastplate, which he says was square: "Because it is necessary that both the reason of nature and the reason of man should stand firm on all sides and not be shaken in any way" original: ὅτι χρὴ καὶ τὸν τῆς φύσεως λόγον καὶ τὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου βεβηκέναι πάντη, καὶ κατὰ μηδὲν κραδαίνεσθαι. Just as these things were symbolized in Aaron and are fulfilled perfectly in Christ, so they are also to be fulfilled in their own measure in the Christian priesthood. For if it were not lawful to offer up a blind or lame animal under the Old Law, surely the priest himself ought