28. Altars therefore, unless they be of stone, are not anointed, because Christ signified by the altar is the Stone growing into a mountain: as it is said, The mountain itself is fat, 'being anointed with the oil of gladness, above his fellows.' [Footnote 458] Nevertheless we read in Exodus that the Lord ordered the altars to be made of shittim wood, which does not decay; [Footnote 459] and the Latern altar is of wood. Solomon also made an altar of gold, as we read in the eighth chapter of the third book of Kings: but these things were done for a type. [Footnote 460] And in the county of Province, in the castle of S. Mary by the Sea, there is also an altar of earth, which Mary Magdalene, and Martha and Mary the mother of James, and Mary the mother of Salome, made there. [Footnote 461] After this, the altar having been sprinkled and baptised with water, it remaineth for it to be anointed with oil and chrism. The bishop then poureth over it oil and chrism, and chanteth, 'Jacob set up the stone for a memorial, and poured oil upon it.' [Footnote 462] For that church hath been the memorial of other churches; 'For the law hath gone out from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.' [Footnote 463]
[Footnote 458: Psalm xlv (Eructavit cor meum), 8.]
[Footnote 459: Exodus xxvii, I, etc.]
[Footnote 460: The same examples are briefly adduced in the notes to the Decretal. Ciampini describes the wooden altar of the Lateran, and mentions its numerous escapes from fire. It was made of firewood, because 'abies non cedit vermibus unquam, nec putret facile.' See also Stephen Durantus, De Rit. Ecc. Cathol. Lib. I, xxv, 3, quoting from De Turrecremata, about the Lateran altar, and generally about the subject of this chapter.]
[Footnote 461: According to the Golden Legend, S. Mary Magdalene, with other saints, amongst whom was S. Lazarus, were placed by the Jews in a ship which was borne by the sea to Marseilles. The country was converted, and S. Lazarus became the first bishop. The people of Vezelay, in Burgundy, also claimed the honour of possessing the relics of S. Mary Magdalene. Durandus, a native of Provence, gives it to the latter country. This curious passage of our author seems to have been overlooked by some who have attempted to adjust the dispute.]
[Footnote 462: Genesis xxviii, 18.]
[Footnote 463: Isaiah ii, 3.]
29. But first he maketh upon it the five crosses, with the oil of the sick, according to the Roman order; but according to the use of some other Churches, with both sorts of oil; one cross in the middle, and four at the corners: afterwards, he maketh the same number of crosses in the same way with chrism. [{127}] By the oil assuredly is understood the grace of the Holy Ghost, of which saith Esaias the Prophet, 'The yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.' [Footnote 464] For as the bishop poureth oil upon the altar, so Christ, who is the Chief High Priest, poureth His grace upon our altar, which is our heart: for He is the distributor of all graces through the Holy Ghost, as saith the Apostle, 'To one is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another faith, to another the gift of healing,' etc. [Footnote 465] And just as the bishop, by means of oil, cleanseth the table of the altar, so also cloth the Holy Ghost purify our heart from all vices and sins.
[Footnote 464: Isaiah x, 27.]
[Footnote 465: I Corinthians xii, 8.]
30. Christ also was anointed with oil, not with visible oil indeed, but with invisible; that is with the grace of the Holy Ghost. Whence David, 'The Lord thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows'; [Footnote 466] that is above all the saints who have been partakers of His Grace, that is, Christ. Whence unction more expressedly agreeth with Christ (the Anointed One) than with others, because God hath anointed Him above all others to have the fulness of good things, and therefore his name is interpreted 'The Anointed.' Unction also with oil signifieth mercy, according to that saying of the Evangelist, 'Anoint thy head with oil, and wash thy face': [Footnote 467] because as oil is among fluids, so is mercy superior among good works. For whatever liquid you pour upon oil, yet it always swimmeth at the top. Of mercy it is written, 'The Lord is loving unto every man, and His mercy is over all His works,' [Footnote 468] and 'Mercy rejoiceth against judgment.' [Footnote 469] With this oil, therefore, is the [{128}] altar of our 'heart anointed, that being always mindful of mercy, we may never lose the effect of the aspersion of water, and of regeneration and of baptism.
[Footnote 466: Psalm xlv (Eructavit cor meum), 8.]
[Footnote 467: S. Matthew vi, 17.]
[Footnote 468: Psalm cxlv (Exaltabo te Deus), 9.]
[Footnote 469: S. James ii, 13.]
31. The five crosses made with the oil signify that we ought always to have a remembrance of the five wounds of Christ, which He suffered for our sakes upon the Cross. For He suffered five wounds; namely, in His hands, His feet, and in His side.
32. They denote further the five feelings of pity which be necessary for us. For it is necessary for a man to pity Christ, by sympathising in His Passion: whence Job, in the person of Christ, saith, 'Pity me, pity me,' etc. [Footnote 470] A man must also pity his neighbours whose calamities he seeth; whence in Ecclesiasticus, 'The pity of a man towards his neighbour.' [Footnote 471] And a man must pity himself: and this in three ways; namely, for the sins of commission, by bewailing them; whence Jeremiah, 'There is no one who hath penitence for his sin, saying, What have I done?' [Footnote 472] —for his sins of omission: whence Isaiah, 'Woe is me, for I have held my peace,' [Footnote 473] that is, for I have not spoken; as if he should say, For I have omitted the good that I might have done:—and for good deeds done for less pure motives; whence S. Luke saith, 'When we have done all good deeds, we must say that we are unprofitable servants,' etc.; [Footnote 474] as if we should say, We have done good, but not well, not purely, and therefore we have done it unprofitably; just as anyone giving alms for vain glory doth good indeed, but not well and not purely. Of this threefold compassion it is said in Ecclesiasticus, 'Have pity on thy soul and please God;' [Footnote 475] because true compassion of mind ought to coexist with the exhibition of good works. [{129}] Wherefore the crosses be twice made; the first time of oil, the second of chrism: whence the Psalm, 'A good man is merciful and lendeth'; [Footnote 476] that is, pitieth in mind, and lendeth in deed. And since it sufficeth not to have compassion in mind together with the exhibition of good deeds, without the savour of a good report, according to that saying of the gospel, 'Let your light so shine before men that they may glorify God'; [Footnote 477] therefore the crosses be made with chrism, which consisteth of balsam and oil.
[Footnote 470: Job xix, 21.]
[Footnote 471: Eccles. xviii, 12—Vulgate.]
[Footnote 472: Jeremiah viii, 6.]
[Footnote 473: Isaiah vi, 5—Vulgate.]
[Footnote 474: S. Luke xvii, 10.]
[Footnote 475: Eccles. xxx, 24—Vulgate.]
[Footnote 476: Psalm cxii (Beatus vir), 5.]
[Footnote 477: S. Matthew v. 16.]