The Moral Concordances (attributed to Saint Anthony of Padua)

In this edition some, additions have been made from the Promptuarium Morale Sacrce Scripturce of Thomas Hibernicus, an Irish Franciscan who flourished at the beginning of the Fom-teenth Centmy. It was first published, like the Concordances of S. Antony by Luke Wadding, at Eome, in 1624; he was, however, ignorant of the name of the author. Thomas was a man of some note in his day; and another valuable little work of his has been pubHshed, the DeUcice Sanctorum: choice passages on various subjects, from the Fathers and later writers.

The Promptuarium is of the same nature as the Concordances; it is, however, nearly twice as long. The division is entirely different, consisting of three parts. The first goes through the regular course of Sunday and Feria; the second embraces the Festivals of Saints; the third suppKes texts for Sermons to be addi-essed — almost Kterally — to all sorts and conditions of men. Some of the subjects in this last part are exceedingly curious.

It is plain that only in the second part do he and S. Antony touch the same matter; and my additions, distinguished by Italics, are therefore only made from that. The first part would be well worth republishing.

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I had not venturecT to hope that the Concordances would ever reach a second edition. I can only be thankful that the style of interpretation which they presuppose must thus have become better known to many of my brethren.

As a proof how large a field of mystical intei-pretation still remains, after these vTiters, to be gleaned, I will put down at random a few texts which have in the past year occurred to myseK and to friends, as thus beaiiag a beautiful meaning: —

Christmas or Annunciation. 1 Sam. sxiii. 20: — Now therefore, 0 King, come do"v\Ti according to all the desire of Thy soul to come down.

Holy Trinity. Is. ix. 4: — For thou hast broken the yoke of his bm-den and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor as in the days of Midian.

Absence of the Blessed Sacrament on Good Friday and Easter Eve. 1 Samuel xx. 27, I: — Saul said unto Jonathan his sou, Wherefore cometh not the Son of Jesse to meat neither yesterday nor to-day?

The same. S. Luke xxiv. 3: — And they entered in, and found not the Body of the Lord Jesus.

Advent. Exodus iv. 14, I: — And also, behold, He cometh forth to meet thee, and when he seeth thee He will be glad in His heart.