16. Again, in the temple of God, the foundation is faith, which is conversant with unseen things: the roof, charity, 'which covereth a multitude of sins.' [Footnote 143] The door, obedience, of which the Lord saith, 'If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.' [Footnote 144] The pavement, humility, of which the Psalmist saith, 'My soul cleaveth to the pavement.' [Footnote 145]
[Footnote 143: I S. Peter iv, 8.]
[Footnote 144: S. Matthew xix, 17.]
[Footnote 145: Psalm cxix (Adhaesit pavimento), 25.]
17. The four side-walls, the four cardinal virtues, justice, fortitude, temperance, prudence. Hence the Apocalypse saith, 'The city lieth four-square.' [Footnote 146] The windows are hospitality with cheerfulness, and tenderness with charity.
[Footnote 146: Rev. xxi, 16.]
Concerning this house saith the Lord, 'We will come unto him, and make our abode with him.' [Footnote 147] But some churches are built in the shape of a cross, to signify, that we are crucified to the world, and should tread in the steps of the Crucified, according to that saying, 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me.' [Footnote 148] Some also are built in the form of a circle: [Footnote 149] to signify that the Church hath been extended throughout the circle of the world, as saith the Psalmist: 'And their words unto the end of the world.' [Footnote 150] Or because from the circle of this world, we reach forth to that crown of eternity which shall encircle our brows.
[Footnote 147: S. John xiv, 23.]
[Footnote 148: S. Matthew xvi, 18.]
[Footnote 149: This of course refers to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the prototype of these buildings. There are four, as it is well known, in England yet standing, and two in ruins—namely, Temple Aslackby, in Lincolnshire, and the church in Ludlow Castle.]
[Footnote 150: Psalm xix (Caeli enarrant), 4.]
18. The choir is so called from the harmony of the clergy in their chanting, or from the multitude collected at the divine offices. The word chorus is derived from chorea, or from corona. For in early times they stood like a crown round the altar, and thus sung the Psalms in one body: but Flavianus and Theodorus taught the antiphonal method of chanting, having received it from S. Ignatius, who himself learnt it by inspiration. The two choirs then typify the angels, and the spirits of just men, while they cheerfully and mutually excite each other in this holy exercise. Others derive chorus from concord, which consisteth of charity; because he who hath not charity, cannot sing with the spirit. But what this choir signifieth, and why the greatest in it sit last, shall be explained in the fourth book. [Footnote 151] And observe, that when one sings, it is called in Greek a monody, in Latin tycinium. When two sing, it is called bicinium; when many, a chorus.
[Footnote 151: We may observe that Prynne perverts the fact, that the westernmost seats in the choir are the most honourable, to a depreciation of the Catholic custom of the position of the altar. See his 'Pacific Examination,' s.v.]