hall rejoice in the works of
Thy hands." Now the consecration of a church or altar, is the work of
a man; as is also the consecration of the chalice, and of the
ministers, and of other such things. But these latter consecrations
are not commemorated in the Church. Therefore neither ought the
consecration of a church or of an altar to be commemorated with
solemnity.

Obj. 5: Further, the truth ought to correspond with the figure. But
in the Old Testament, which was a figure of the New, the altar was
not made of hewn stones: for, it is written (Ex. 20:24): "You shall
make an altar of earth unto Me . . . and if thou make an altar of
stone unto Me, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones." Again, the
altar is commanded to be made of "setim-wood," covered "with brass"
(Ex. 27:1, 2), or "with gold" (Ex. 25). Consequently, it seems
unfitting for the Church to make exclusive use of altars made of
stone.

Obj. 6: Further, the chalice with the paten represents Christ's tomb,
which was "hewn in a rock," as is narrated in the Gospels.
Consequently, the chalice ought to be of stone, and not of gold or of
silver or tin.

Obj. 7: Further, just as gold is the most precious among the
materials of the altar vessels, so are cloths of silk the most
precious among other cloths. Consequently, since the chalice is of
gold, the altar cloths ought to be made of silk and not of linen.

Obj. 8: Further, the dispensing and ordering of the sacraments belong
to the Church's ministers, just as the ordering of temporal affairs
is subject to the ruling of secular princes; hence the Apostle says
(1 Cor. 4:1): "Let a man so esteem us as the ministers of Christ and
the dispensers of the mysteries of God." But if anything be done
against the ordinances of princes it is deemed void. Therefore, if
the various items mentioned above are suitably commanded by the
Church's prelates, it seems that the body of Christ could not be
consecrated unless they be observed; and so it appears to follow that
Christ's words are not sufficient of themselves for consecrating this
sacrament: which is contrary to the fact. Consequently, it does not
seem fitting for such ordinances to be made touching the celebration
of this sacrament.

_On the contrary,_ The Church's ordinances are Christ's own
ordinances; since He said (Matt. 18:20): "Wherever two or three are
gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."

_I answer that,_ There are two things to be co