I. The altar hath a place in the church <^n three ac-

counts, as shall be said in speaking of its dedication. We are to know that Noe i first, then Isaac 2 and Abra- ham 2 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 altare, derived from alta res, or alta ara, is that on which
' Gen. viii, 20. - Gen. xxvi, 25. xxxiii, 20. ■' Gen. xiii, 18.
^ Exodus xxvii, i.
34 The Symbolism of Chzi?rhes
the priests burnt incense. But ara, which is derived from area, or from ardeo, is that on which sacrifices were burnt*
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 significa- tion. 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.' ^ 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.9 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.'^*^ 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 sdiid,Jube hoc in sublime Altare Tuum perferri}^ More- over 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.'^^ Again, the altar is our
* 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 &v(riot.a'rnfiot, as opposed to ara {^i;huiJi.oi), an altar with an image above it. See Mede. Folio 386.
^ Exodus XX, 26. « Psalm li [^Miserere met), 19.
^ Exodus XX, 25. 8 Psalm cxviii (^Confitemini , 27.
" III Kings vi. 22. ^o 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 Divine Majestatis Tuae : ut quotquot ex hac Altaris participatione sacrosanctum Filii Tui Corpus et Sanguinem sumpserimus, omni benedictione caelesti et gratia repleamur. Per. 1-' Psalm Ixxxiv (^Quam dilecta), 4.
Of the Altar 35
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, it signifieth the body of Christ, as shall be explained in the fifth book. Fifthly, it signifieth the table at which Christ did feast with His disciples.
5. It is written in Exodus, that in the Ark of the Testament or of the Testimony the witness was laid up :^^ that is, the tables on which the law was written : and it is said that the Testimony was ther'e laid up, because it was a bearing witness that the law imprinted on our hearts by nature God had reimprinted by writing. Also, there was laid up the golden pot full of manna, for a testimony that He had given the children of Israel bread from heaven. And the rod of Aaron, for a testimony that all power is from God. And the second tables of the law, in testimony of the covenant in which they had said, ' All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.' ^* And on these accounts it is called the Ark of the Testimony or Testament ; and also the tabernacle of the testimony thence deriveth its title. But over the ark was made a mercy seat : of which we shall speak in the proeme of the fourth book. In imitation whereof some churches have over the altar an ark or tabernacle, in which the body of the Lord and relics are preserved. The Lord also commanded that a candlestick should be made of beaten pure gold. It is written in the third book of Kings, that in the Ark of the Covenant was nothing else than the two tables of stone which Moses put therein
" Exodus XXV, 16, " Exodus xix, 8.
36 TJie Symbolism of ChurcJies
in Horeb : when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel in the day that they came out of the land of Egypt.
6. And note that in the time of S. Silvester, Pope,^^ Constantine the Emperor built the Lateran church, in which he placed the Ark of the Testament, which the Emperor Titus had brought from Jerusalem, and the golden candlestick with his seven branches. In which ark are these things : the rings and the staves of gold : the tables of the testimony : the rod of Aaron : manna : barley loaves : the golden pot : the seamless garment : the reed : a garment of S. John Baptist, and the scissors with which the hair of S. John the Evangelist was shorn.
7. Man, if he hath an altar, a table, a candlestick, and an ark, he is the temple of God. He must have an altar, whereon rightly to offer and rightly to distribute. The altar is our heart, on which we ought to offer.
'^ It is very remarkable that no notice whatever is taken of these relics by Ciampini in his very minute description of the Lateran Basilica : al- though in his account both of this, and of all the other Basilican churches built by Constantine, he copies verbatim the list of the donations of the Emperor which is given in the life of Pope S. Sylvester, compiled by an unknown librarian of the Vatican. It is clear that either Durandus was misinformed, or that the present passage is corrupt. Again, it is not likely that the vest of S. John Baptist, or the scissors of S. John Evangelist would have been kept in the ark besides its proper contents. Yet Durandus had obviously some facts to go upon, since the Lateran Church, having been originally dedicated to the Saviour, was now under the Invoca- tion of the two SS. John ; and the sufferings of both these saints were de- picted in a very ancient mosaic, those of the Evangelist having over them the following inscription, which we give as describing a Confession of this Martyr in will, now little known.
Martyrii calicem bibit hie Athleta Johannes Principium Verbi cernere qui meruit.
Verberat hunc fuste Proconsul, y^r/^'t^ tondet, Quem fervens oleum lasdere non valuit.
Conditus hie oleum, dolium, cruor, atque capilli, Quae consecrantur libera Roma tibi. To return, we may be satisfied that these Jewish memorials did not exist, since Ciampini, while composing his account, consulted the former writers upon the Lateran Basilica ; viz. the poet Prudentius, an unedited MS. of Panvinius, Severanus De Septem Urbis Ecclesiis, and the work of Caesar Cardinal Rasponus.
Of the Altar 37
Whence the Lord commandeth in Exodus : ' Thou shalt offer burnt offerings on mine altar.'^^' Since from the heart words, set on fire of charity, ought to proceed. Holocaust is derived from Jiolos, wJiole, and cauina^ a bur?iing : therein signifying a thing wholly burnt. On this altar we must rightly offer, and we must rightly divide. We offer rightly when we bring any good thought to perfection. But we do not rightly divide if we do it not discreetly. For a man often thinketh to do good, and doeth ill : and sometimes with one hand he doeth good and with the other ill ; and thus himself buildeth, and himself knocketh down. But we then rightly divide when the good which we do we attribute, not to ourselves, but to God alone.
8. It behoveth also man to have a table, whence he may take the bread of the Word of God. By the table we understand Holy Scripture, concerning which the Psalm, ' Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.' ^'^ That is. Thou hast given me Scripture against the temptations of the devil. This table then we must have, that is, must lay up in our minds, that thence we may take the Word of God. Of the deficiency of this bread saith Jeremiah : ' The little ones sought bread, and there was none to break it unto them.^^ It behoveth man likewise to have a candlestick, that he may shine with good works.
9. A candlestick that giveth light without is a good work, which by its good example inflameth others. Of which it is said, ' No man lighteth a candle and putteth it under a bushel, but in a candlestick.' ^^ This candle, according to the Word of the Lord, is a good intention : of which He saith Himself: 'Thine eye is a light.' ^"^ But the eye is the intention. Therefore we ought not
"^ Exodus ix, 2. '^ Psalm xxiii (^Dominus regit tne), 5.
'"* Jeremiah xvi, 7. '^ S. Matthew v, 15. -0 S. Matthew vi, 22.
38 The Symbolism of Churches
to put the candle under a bushel, but in a candlestick. Because, if we have a good intention, we ought not to hide it : but to manifest our good deeds to others, for a light and an example.
10. Man must also have an ark. Now area is derived from arcendo: discipline, therefore, and regular life may be called the ark ; by which crimes are driven away {arcentur) from us. Now in the ark were the rod, the tables, and the manna : because in the regular life there must be the rod of correction, that the flesh may be chastised ; and the table of love, that God may be loved. For in the tables of the law were written the commands which pertain to the love of God. Therein must also be the manna of divine sweetness : that we may ' taste and see how gracious the Lord is : for it is good to have to do with Him.'^^ According to that proverb of the prudent woman, * She tasted and saw that it was good.'^^ Therefore, that we may be the temple of God, let us have in ourselves an altar of oblation, lest we appear empty in His presence, according to that saying, ' Thou shalt iiot appear empty before the presence of thy God ' : ^^ let us have a table for refection lest we faint, through hunger, in the way : as saith the Evangelist, ' If I send them away empty, they will faint in the way,' ^^ a candlestick by good works that we be not idle, as he saith in Ecclesiasticus, ' Idleness hath taught much mis- chief,'^^ let us have an ark, that we be not as sons of Belial, that is, undisciplined, and without the yoke : for discipline is necessary, as the Psalmist teacheth, saying, ' Be instructed, lest He be angry.' ^^ Concerning which, and other ornaments, we shall speak in the following chapter.
-* Psalm xxxiv (^Benedicam Dominuni)^ 8. 22 Prov. xxxi, 18. Marg. reading. -' Exodus xxiii, 15,
-^ S. Mark viii, 3. -^ Ecclesiasticus xxii, 2.
'-' Psalm ii {^Qtiare frevmermit)^ 12.
Of the Altar 39
11. He buildeth this altar who adorneth his heart with true humility and other virtues. Whence Gregory: He who gathereth together virtues without humility, is as he who scattereth dust to the wind. For by the altar he understandeth our heart, as it shall be said when we treat of the dedication of the altar : it is in the middle of the body, as the altar is in the middle of the church."*
12. Concerning which altar the Lord commandeth in Leviticus : ' The fire shall always be burning upon Mine altar.' ^' The fire is charity. The altar is a clean heart. The fire shall always burn on the altar, because charity should always burn in our hearts. Whence Solomon in the Canticles : ' Many waters cannot ex- tingiiish charity,' ^^ for that which ever burneth cannot be extinguished. Do thou, therefore, as the prophet commandeth, keep holy day and a solemn assembly, even to the horns of the altar : because the rest of thy thoughts will keep holy day. Concerning this the Apostle showeth ' unto us a more excellent way.' ^^ He calleth charity a more excellent way, because she is above all virtues : and whoever possesseth her possesseth all virtues. This is the short word that the Lord speaketh over the earth : which is so short that it only saith, ' Have charity, and do whatsoever thou wilt. For from these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.' ^^
13. Or by the altar we understand the soul of every man, which is by the Lord built up of various living stones, which are various and different virtues.
14. Furthermore, the white cloths wherewith the altar is covered signify the flesh of the Saviour, that is. His humanity : because it was made white with many toils, as also the flesh of Christ born of earth, that is, of Mary,
-" Lev. vi, 9. -"* Canticles viii, 7.
-" I Corinth xii, 31. ** S. Matthew xxii, 40. * See Appendix I.
40 TJie Syvibolisni of CJiurches
which attained through many tribulations to the glory of the Resurrection, and the purity and joy of immor- tality. [Concerning which the Son exulteth, saying to the Father, 'Thou hast girded me with gladness, and exalted Me on every side.'^^ When, therefore, the altar is covered, it signifieth the joining of the soul to an immortal and incorruptible body.^^] Again, the altar is covered with white and clean cloths, because the pure heart is adorned with good works. Whence the Apocalypse : ' And put on white garments, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear.'^^ And Solomon : ' Let thy garments be always white,' ^^ that is, let thy works be clean. [But it little profiteth him that ap- proacheth to the altar to have high dignity, and a life sunk low in sins. Whence Benedict : It is a monstrous thing, exalted faith, and abandoned life. The highest step and the lowest state, is mighty authority joined with instability of soul.^^] The silken coverings placed over the altar are the ornaments of divers virtues where- with the soul is adorned. The hanging wherewith the altar is beautified setteth forth the saints, as below shall be said. [The beginning and the end of the Mass take place at the right side of the altar : the middle portion at the left : as shall be said when we treat of the changes of the priest. The ancients made their altars concave ; as it is written in Ezekiel, that in the altar of God was a trench. And this, according to Gregory, lest the wind should scatter the sacrifices laid upon it. Also he saith in Ezekiel that the inner part of the altar was bent downwards in all its circumference.^^
15. But the steps to the altar [spiritually set forth the
^' Psalm Ixxi (^ Juste, Domine), 21. ^'- This passage does not appear in the edition of Durandus published at Venice, in 1609.
^^ Apocalypse iii, 18. ^^ Ecclesiastes ix, 8.
^^ This passage also is not found in the Venetian edition.
^^ This passage also is not found in the Venetian edition.
Of the Altar 41
apostles and martyrs of Christ, who for His love poured out their blood. The bride in the Canticles of Love calleth it a purple ascent. Also, the fifteen virtues are set forth by them : which were also typified by the fifteen steps by which they went up to the temple of Solomon : ^''J and by the prophet in fifteen Psalms of degrees, therein setting forth that he is blest who maketh ascents in his heart. This was the ladder that Jacob beheld : ' And his top reached to the heavens.' By these steps the ascent of virtues is sufficiently made mani- fest, by which we go up to the altar, that is, to Christ : according to that saying of the Psalmist, ' They go from virtue to virtue.' ^^ And Job, ' I will seek him through all my steps.' Yet it is said in Exodus, ' Neither shalt thou go up by steps to my altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.' ^^ For perhaps the ancients did not as yet use trousers. In the Council of Toledo, it is decreed that the priest, who for the sake of grief at the misfortune of another, strippeth the altar or any image of its garments, [or girdeth himself with a mourning vest, or with thorns,"^*^] or extinguisheth the lights of the church, shall be deposed. But if his church be undeservedly spoiled, he is allowed to do this for grief: or, according to some, he may on the day of the Passion of our Lord make bare the altars as a sign of grief Which is, however, reprobated by the Council of Lyons. Lastly, altars which have been built at the instigation of dreams, or the empty revelations of men, are altogether reprobated.
^^ This passage also is not found in the Venetian edition. ** Psalm Ixxxiv (^Quat)i dilecta)^ 7. ** Exodus xx, 26.
^" This passage also is not found in the Venetian edition.