43. In this cloister the diversity of office-chambers is the diversity of virtues. The chapter-house is the secret of the heart: concerning this, however, we shall speak differently hereafter. The refectory is the love of holy meditation. The cellar, Holy Scripture. The dormitory, a clean conscience. The oratory, a spotless life. The garden of trees and herbs, the collection of virtues. The well, the dew of God's heavenly gifts; which in this world mitigateth our thirst, and hereafter will quench it.

44. The Episcopal throne, which according to the injunctions of Saint Peter has been of old consecrated in each city (as shall be said below), the piety of our forefathers dedicated, not in memory of confessors, but to the honour of apostles and martyrs, and especially of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

45. But we therefore go to church, that we may there ask for the pardon of our sins, and assist in the divine praises as shall be said in the proeme of the fifth book, and that there we may hear God's proceedings with the good and the ill, and learn and receive the knowledge of God, and that we may there feed on the Lord's body.

:

46. In church, men and women sit apart which, according to Bede, we have received from the custom of the ancients: and thence it was that Joseph and Mary lost the Child Jesus; since the one who did not behold Him in his own company, thought Him to be with the other.. But the men remain on the southern, the women on the northern side: "7 to signify that the saints

Such is probably the meaning of the passage. The original is u ili bona sive mala judicia audiamus.

This is the practice in some parts of England even to this day: more especially in Somersetshire, Bp. Montague in his Visitation Articles (reprinted Camb. 1841) asks (p. 17), 'Do men and women sit together in those seats indifferently and promiscuously? or (as the fashion was of old), do men sit together upon one side of the church, and women upon the other?' And, indeed, of old there was a still further separation on each side, into the married and unmarried. The restoration of the practice recommended by Bp. Montague is much to be wished,

who be most advanced in holiness should stand against the greater temptations of this world: and they who be less advanced, against the less; or that the bolder and the stronger sex should take their place in the position fittest for action: because the Apostle saith, God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.' us To this also pertaineth the vision of S. John, who 'beheld a mighty angel placing his right foot in the sea.' D For the stronger members are opposed to the greater dangers. But, according to others, the men are to be in the fore part [i.e. eastward], the women behind: because the husband is the head of the wife,' 70 and therefore should go before her.

47. A woman must cover her head in the church, because she is not the image of God, and because by woman sin began. And therefore in the church, out of respect for the priest, who is the vicar of Christ, in his presence, as before a judge, she hath her head covered, and not at liberty: and on account of the same reverence she hath not the power of speaking in the church before him. Of old time, men and women wearing long hair stood in church with uncovered heads glorying in their locks which was a disgrace unto them.

71

48. But what should be our conversation in church the Apostle teacheth, saying, 'Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.' "1 Whence we must, when we be there, abstain from superfluous words : according to that saying of S. Chrysostome, When thou goest into a king's palace, set in order thy conversation and thy habit. For the angels of the Lord are there : and the House of God is full of incorporeal virtues.72 And the Lord saith to Moses, and so doth the angel to 68 Corinth. x, 13. 70 Eph. v, 23. 72 The passage referred to is as follows :—' Regiam quidem ingrediens, et habitu et aspectu et incessu et omnibus aliis te ornas et componis: Hic autem vere est Regia et plane hic talia qualia cælestia : -et rides ? Atque scio quidem quod tu non vides. Audi autem quod ubique adsunt angeli, et maxime in Domo Dei adsistunt Regis, et omnia sunt impleta incorporeis illus Potestatibus.

Apocalypse x, 7. 71 Coloss. iii, 16.

Joshua, Put off thy shoes from off thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.' 73

49. In the last place, a consecrated church defendeth murderers who take sanctuary in it from losing life or limb, provided that they have not offended in it, or against it. Whence it is written that Joab fled to the tabernacle, and laid hold on the horns of the altar.'” The same privilege is possessed also by an unconsecrated church, if the divine offices be therein celebrated.

50. But the body of Christ received by such persons, doth not defend them nor those who fly to it: partly because the privilege is granted to a church as a church : and therefore not to be misbestowed on other things: partly because that food is the support of the soul, and not of the body: whence it freeth the soul and not the body.

51. Churches are moved from one place to another on three accounts. First, on account of the necessity arising from persecutors: secondly or account of the difficulty of access or habitation, such as the unwholesomeness of air: thirdly, when they are oppressed with the society of evil men: and then with the consent of the Pope or the bishop. Wherefore he that entereth into a church fortifieth himself with the sign of the cross, shall be said in the proeme of the fifth book.75

73 Exod. iii, 5. Josh. v, 15.

74

2 Kings i, 28.

78 See Appendix.

CHAPTER II

OF THE ALTAR

The First Builders of Altars-The Difference between Altare and Ara-Various Significations of Various Kinds of AltarsThe Ark of the Testimony-It is preserved in the Lateran Church-What a Man needeth that he may be the Temple of God-What the Table Signifieth-Of the CandlestickOf the Ark-Of the Altar-Ōf the Altar Cloths-Of Steps to the Altar.

2

1. THE altar hath a place in the church on three accounts, as shall be said in speaking of its dedication. We are to know that Noel' first, then Isaac and Abraham and Jacob made, as we read, altars: which is only to be understood of stones set upright, on which they offered and slew the victims and burnt them with fire laid beneath them. Also Moses made an altar of shittim wood: and the same was made as an altar of incense, and covered with pure gold: as we read in the xxvth chapter of Exodus, where also the form of the altar is described. From these of the ancient fathers, the altars of the moderns have their origin, being erected with four horns at the corners. Of which some are of one stone, and some are put together of many.

2. And sometimes the words altare and ara are used in the same sense. Yet is there a difference. For allare, derived from alta res, or alta ara, is that on which the priests burnt incense. But ara, which is derived from area, or from ardeo, is that on which sacrifices were burnt.*

1 Gen. viii, 20.

3 Gen. xiii, 18.

* Gen. xxvi, 25, xxxiii, 20.
• Exodus xxvii, 1.

* The true ecclesiastical distinction between altare and ara is that the former means the altar of the true God, and is therefore alone used in the Vulgate, answering to the Greek Ovσiaotýρlov, as opposed to ara (Bapos), an altar with an image above it. See Mede. Folio 386.

3. And note, that many kinds of altars are found in Scripture as a higher, a lower, an inner, an outer; of which each hath both a plain and a symbolical signification. The higher altar is God the Trinity: of which it is written, 'Thou shalt not go up by steps to my altar.” And it also signifieth the Church Triumphant: of which it is said, 'Then shall they offer bullocks upon mine altar.” “ But the lower altar is the Church Militant, of which it is said, 'If thou wilt make an altar of stone, thou shalt not make it of hewn stone.'7 Also it is the table of the temple. Of which he saith, 'Appoint a solemn day for your assembly even unto the horns of the altar.'" And in the Third of Kings, it is said that Solomon made a golden altar.o But the interior altar is a clean heart, as shall be said below. It is also a type of faith in the incarnation, of which in Exodus, ‘An altar of earth ye shall make Me.' 10 And an interior altar is the altar of the cross. This is the altar on which they offered the evening sacrifice. Whence in the Canon of the Mass it is said, Jube hoc in sublime Altare Tuum perferri." Moreover the external altar representeth the sacraments of the Church of which it is said, 'Even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.' 12 Again, the altar is our mortification in our heart, in which carnal motions are consumed by the fervour of the Holy Spirit.

4. Secondly, it also signifieth the Spiritual Church : and its four horns teach how she hath been extended into the four quarters of the world. Thirdly, it signifieth Christ, without whom no gift is offered acceptable to the Father. Whence also the Church addresseth her prayers to the Father through Christ alone. Fourthly 6 Exodus xx, 26. "Psalm li (Miserere mei), 19. 7 Exodus xx, 25. "Psalm cxviii (Confitemini,) 27. III Kings vi, 22. 10 Exodus xx, 26. "This prayer, which immediately precedes the Commemoration of the Dead, runs thus: Supplices Te rogamus, omnipotens Deus, jube hoc perferri per manus Sancti Angeli Tui, in conspectu Divinæ Majestatis Tuæ: ut quotquot ex hac Altaris participatione sacrosanctum Filii Tui Corpus et Sanguinem sumpserimus, omni benedictione cælesti et gratia repleamur. Per. 19 Psalm lxxxiv (Quam dilecla), 4.