15. Confessors are painted with their insignia, as bishops with their mitres, abbots with their hoods: and some with lilies, [Footnote 282] which denote chastity. Doctors with books in their hands: virgins, according to the Gospel, [Footnote 283] with lamps. [Footnote 282: So in the beautiful hymn at Lauds in the commemoration of a virgin martyr, of the Parisian Breviary: Liliis Sponsus recubat, rosisque; Tu, tuo semper bene fida Sponso Et rosas Martyr, simul et dedisti _Lilia Virgo_.] [Footnote 283: S. Matthew xxv, 1.] 16. Paul with a book and a sword: with a book, as a doctor, or with reference to his conversion: with a sword as [Footnote 284] a soldier. Whence the verse: The sword denotes the ire of Saul, The book, the power converting Paul. [Footnote 284: This is undoubtedly a mistake: the sword represents in this case, as in others, the instrument of martyrdom.] {53} 17. Generally the effigies of the holy fathers are portrayed on the walls of the church, or on the back panels of the altar, or on vestments, or in other various places, so that we may meditate perpetually, not indiscreetly or uselessly, on their holiness. Whence in Exodus it is commanded by the divine law, that in the breast of Aaron, the breastplate of judgment should be bound [Footnote 285] with strings: because fleeting thoughts should not occupy the mind of a priest, which should be girt by reason alone. In this breastplate also, according to Gregory, the names of the twelve patriarchs are commanded to be carefully inscribed. [Footnote 285: Exodus xxviii, 22.] 18. To bear the fathers thus imprinted on the breast, is to meditate on the lives of ancient saints without intermission. But then doth the priest walk blamelessly when he gazeth continually on the example of the fathers which have gone before, when he considereth without ceasing the footsteps of the saints, and represseth unholy thoughts, lest he wander beyond the limits of right reason.