Symbolism of the Glove

An excerpt from the third book of the Rationale Divinorum Officiorum of William Durandus of Mende, Englished by T.H. Passmore:

1. Because by vain men-pleasing full many spoil the good works they do; immediately after the Dalmatic put on, the Bishop according unto the Apostolic rite covereth his hands with the Gloves, that his left hand may not know what his right hand doeth. For by the Glove is meetly figured caution, which doeth her work before the eyes of men, yet hideth her plans in secret none the less. For albeit the Lord said, LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, in type whereof the Glove hath a golden circlet upon it; yet the same Lord gave this precept, TAKE HEED THAT YE DO NOT YOUR ALMS BEFORE MEN, TO BE SEEN OF THEM; OTHERWISE YE HAVE NO REWARD OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.

2. Wherefore the hands be sometimes covered with the Gloves, and sometimes bared, because good works be sometimes hidden for the avoiding of vainglory, and sometimes made manifest to the edification of his neighbour.

3. They are without seam, for the actions of the Bishop ought to be in right agreement with his faith. As worn upon the hands, also, they are a type of the examples of the Saints, which are to be held fast by him in all his works; which works must be cleansed from all pollution, lest the LITTLE LEAVEN LEAVEN THE WHOLE LUMP. And by the Gloves themselves, as being white, we understand chastity and purity, that his hands, that is, his works, may be clean, and innocent of all stain.

4. As touching that which agreeth unto the Head, even Christ, the Gloves are made of the skins of kids, such as Rebekah put on the hands of Jacob, that their hairiness might set forth the likeness of his elder brother. And the skin of the kid is the likeness of sin, with which likeness Mother Rebekah - that is, the grace of the Holy Spirit - did array the hands of the true Jacob, that is, the works of Christ; to the end that He, the Second Adam, might bear the likeness of the elder, that is, the first Adam. For Christ did without sin take upon Himself the likeness of sin, that the mystery of the Incarnation might be concealed from the devil; and did hunger and thirst, suffered and was affrighted, slept and toiled, after the similitude of sinners. Unto Whom when He had FASTED FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS, AND WAS AFTERWARD AN HUNDRED, the devil came in the likeness of the first Adam, and did essay to tempt Him; yet he who had after the same manner conquered the first, was by the Second vanquisht.