26. The door of the church is Christ: according to that saying in the Gospel, 'I am the door.' [Footnote 159] The apostles are also called doors. [Footnote 159: S. John x, 9.] 27. The piers of the church are bishops and doctors: who specially sustain the Church of God by their doctrine. These, from the majesty and clearness of their divine message, are called silver, according to that in the Song of Songs, 'He made silver columns.' [Footnote 160] Whence also Moses at the entering in of the tabernacle, placed five columns, and four before the oracle, that is, the holy of holies. Although the piers are more in number than seven, yet they are called seven, according to that saying, 'Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars': [Footnote 161] because bishops ought to be filled with the sevenfold influences of the Holy Ghost: [Footnote 162] and SS. James and John, as the Apostle testifieth, 'seemed to be pillars.' [Footnote 163] The bases of the columns are the apostolic bishops, [Footnote 164] who support the frame of the whole church. The capitals of the piers are the opinions of the bishops and doctors. For as the members are directed and moved by the head, so are our words and works governed by their mind. The ornaments of the capitals are the words of Sacred Scripture, to the meditation and observance of which we are bound. [Footnote 160: Canticles viii, 9.] [Footnote 161: Prov. viii, I.] [Footnote 162: Compare the _Veni Creator_: Thou the anointing Spirit art, Who dost Thy sevenfold gifts impart.] [Footnote 163: Gal ii, 9.] [Footnote 164: That is, it may be supposed, bishops of those sees which were founded by the apostles themselves, e.g. Rome, Crete, Ephesus.] 28. The pavement of the church is the foundation of our faith. But in the spiritual Church, the pavement is the poor, of Christ: the poor in spirit, who humble themselves in all thing: wherefore on account of their {25} humility they are likened to the pavement. Again, the pavement, which is trodden under foot, representeth the multitude, by whose labours the Church is sustained. 29. The beams [Footnote 165] which join together the church are the princes of this world or the preachers who defend the unity of the Church, the one by deed, the other by argument. [Footnote 165: _Beams_. That is, probably, tie-beams: here is another reference to the architectural arrangements of Early English date.] 30. The stalls in the church signify the contemplative, in whom God dwelleth without hindrance, who, from their high dignity and the glory of eternal life, are compared to gold. Whence He saith in the Canticles, 'He made a golden seat.' [Footnote 166] [Footnote 166: See Appendix I.]