Thomas puts hope of salvation in the cross—an image—so hope’s protestation is no weaker than sacrifice’s
Hope’s claim on God is as strong a protestation as sacrifice’s.
Thomas still assigns worship to the true cross and its image because hope of salvation is set there—O crux Ave spes unica.
Latin
XLIV. Certe in sacrificiis, & victimarum immolationibus, divinae omnipotentiae protestatio major non est, quam in actibus spei, quibus salutem nostram a Deo expectamus. Et tamen, juxta Thomam Aquinatem Scholae Romanae principem, in cruce, quae est imaginis species, ponimus spem salutis. Probat enim crucem illam in qua Christus crucifixus est, & etiam ejus effigies, Latria colendas esse; quoniam illi exhibemus Latriae cultum, in quo ponimus spem salutis. In cruce, vero, ex illius mente, ponimus spem salutis. Secundum illud quod cantat Ecclesia Romana, O crux Ave spes unica, Hoc passionis tempore, Auge piis justitiam, Reisque dona veniam.