Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/182

8. "How much?" I have made God and man. "Why?" To redeem the lost. Concerning these three—Zachary xiii. "What are the wounds in the middle of thy hands? And he answered, saying, I am wounded by these men in their house, who loved me." Christ is our brother, and son of the eternal King. He gave us a third ring—to wit, the hole in his right foot; and what can be understood by it, except "Thou art noble, despise not thy nobility!" In like manner, Christ is our brother-german. And he gave us a fourth ring, the puncture in his left foot, on which is written, "Approach; fear not—I am thy brother." Christ is also our spouse; he gave us a signet, with which he confirmed our inheritance: that is, the wound made in his side by the spear, on account of the great love, with which he loved us. And what can this signify but "Thou art now joined to me through mercy; sin no more."

Let us study, my beloved, so to keep the gifts of the world, that we may be able to exclaim, as in St. Matthew, "Lord, thou gavest