Afterwards, when the church and altar are consecrated at the same time, the whole church is sprinkled with that water, as was discussed in the preceding chapter, which being done, the bishop approacheth the altar repeating Psalms, and what remains of the water is poured away at the foot of the altar, as in the old Testament [Footnote 438] what remained of the blood was poured away at the bottom of the altar; by which it is signified that the remainder in so great a sacrament, which is beyond human power, is given over unto God, Who is the Chief High Priest, Whose part it is to supply the defect of other priests. But the sepulchre or cavity in which relics ought to be deposited, signifieth the golden pot full of manna, which was placed in the ark of the testimony, as hath been explained under the head of the Altar. [Footnote 438: Exodus xxix, 12.] 22. A sepulchre of this sort, which by some is termed a _confession_, is our heart; and it is consecrated by four crosses made with chrism, because there be four virtues described in the book of wisdom--namely, Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, and Justice--with which our heart is, as it were, anointed, when it is prepared by the gift of the Holy Spirit to receive the mysteries of the heavenly secrets. But this sepulchre is made sometimes at the upper part of the altar, sometimes in the front side of it. 23. Without the relics of saints, or, where they cannot be had, without the body of Christ, [Footnote 439] there is no consecration of a fixed altar: but there may be of a travelling or portable one. Relics in truth are, after the example of both Testaments, evidences of the suffering of martyrs and lives of confessors; which things be left to us as examples. These we enclose in a case, because we retain them, in order to imitate them in our heart: but if we hear and understand and do no works, {123} it tendeth rather to damnation than to salvation; because 'not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers only'; [Footnote 440] whence the Apostle saith, 'Be ye imitators of me as I am also of Christ.' [Footnote 441] [Footnote 439: See chapter ii.] [Footnote 440: Romans ii, 13.] [Footnote 441: I Corinthians xi, 1.]