[Footnote 216: Psalm xxxiv (_Benedicam Dominum_), 8.] [Footnote 217: Prov. xxxi, 18. Marg. reading.] [Footnote 218: Exodus xxiii, 15.] [Footnote 219: S. Mark viii, 3.] [Footnote 220: Ecclesiasticus xxii, 2.] [Footnote 221: Psalm ii (_Quare fremuerunt_), 12.] {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. [Footnote 222] [Footnote 222: Lev. vi, 9.] 12. Concerning which altar the Lord commandeth in Leviticus: 'The fire shall always be burning upon Mine altar.' [Footnote 223] 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 extinguish charity,' [Footnote 224] 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.' [Footnote 225] 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.' [Footnote 226] [Footnote 223: Canticles viii, 7.] [Footnote 224: I Corinth xii, 31.] [Footnote 225: S. Matthew xxii, 40.] [Footnote 226: See Appendix I.] 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.