secret, it would be subject to suspicion and would seem to let loose heretical dogmas. It will be public, because it is to be set before the many, not one individual. If it were set before the one, it would properly be not preaching, but doctrine. In this way preaching is Purpose

instruction in faith and morals.

Two aspects of theology, whereof use is to be made in preaching, are involved: the rational, which pursues knowledge in things divine, and the moral, which offers information in morals. For preaching is instruction now in divine truth, now in conduct. This is imaged forth by the angels descending and ascending on the ladder which Jacob saw.1 Mystically, the angels are those learned men who ascend when they preach heavenly things. They descend when they conform to things mortal.

In fact the efficient cause of a sermon is twofold: principal, and instrumental. The principal cause of every sermon is the Lord of Glory. That He may be moved by the preacher's tongue as agent, prayer is made to Him. Thus the preacher acts as an instrumental

cause.

Also, the art of preaching is the science which teaches address on some subject. The subject of this art is the Word of God. The subject of the sermon, on the other hand, is the preacher's purpose, and so forth.

The preacher's principles of action can be used as follows. If the sermon delivered is from some authority of the Bible or the Saints, he must preach vigorously in order that his utterance may leave his mouth vigorously and abide in the listener's heart. Hence the preacher must sometimes try to speak with wonder, as at the passage: "I was not in safety, neither had I rest." 2 Sometimes he must speak with grief and lamentation, as at: "O my son, Absalom! my son, my son Absalom!" Often with horror and emotion, as at: "Except ye be converted." At times with irony and derision, as at: "Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God and die." 5 Sometimes with gracious countenance and drawing together of the hands, as at: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." With a certain elation, as at: "From a

1 Gen. xxviii, 12.

'Job iii, 26.

3 II Sam. xviii, 33.

'Matt. xviii, 3.
Job ii, 9.
6 Matt. xi, 28.

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far country have they come to me." At times with impatience and indignation, as at: "Let us make a captain."2 At other times with joy and elevation, and lifting up of the hands, as at: "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Often with hate and turning away of the face, as at: "Depart from me, ye cursed." Thus the preacher should conform to the gesture which he must believe Christ used when he said: "Destroy this temple," " by placing his hand above his heart and looking at the temple.

From these and following suggestions the preacher can easily collect and acquire gestures-the true art and method, which are, so to speak, the instruments guiding him in his activity. One is not hindered by learning to know many other gestures; and to know many other things-for example, that it is possible to be ignorant of method. Very few are the things we know in proportion to those we do not.

The theme is the beginning of the sermon. In regard to it there are many considerations: first, that it is taken from the Bible; that it has a clearly perceived meaning-not incongruous; that it is not too long nor too short; that it is expressed in terms well suited to preaching-in all its verbs, participles, and so forth.

Again, the theme is the prelocution, made for the proof of the terms of preaching present in the theme, through authoritative passages of the Bible and learned men, and by bringing in the authorities of philosophy through some simile, moral point, proverb, or natural truth.

Likewise what is said in the theme and its division is called the theme, since the division of the theme is the very theme itself. For from the theme the divisions proceed as from a root (as is clear in our tree below). That is why the division is called the theme.

Note that there are four parts of a sermon: the theme, the protheme or prelocution, the division or distinction, the subdivision or subdistinction. To them two principles apply: the deduction of those parts preached-through proofs and exhortations on the virtues-and the avoidance of faults.

1Joshua, ix, 6 and 9.

Num. xiv, 4.

Matt. xxv, 34.

Matt. xxv, 41.

'John ii, 19.

FAULTS IN SERMONS

Ignorance of the preacher

Lack of fluency

Excessive noisiness

Sleepy delivery

Finger pointings

Frequent motion of the head

Remote digression

The prelocution, too, can be formed by adducing authorities with reference to the theme. For illustration, let this theme be assumed: "O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee." Now the prelocution of this theme can be taken from definite authorities: the Psalmist, "Death is the worst of the sins"; Kings, "Surely the bitterness of death is past";3 Ecclesiasticus, "Remember thy last end and thou shalt never do amiss"; Solomon, "Nothing is surer than death, nothing less sure than the hour of death"; " Augustine, "Of all terrible things death is most terrible"; and also the authority of a philosopher. So the wise man says, "O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee." These were the words of the theme taken up in the first place.

Next let the theme be posited with its divisions and subdivisions. After that comes the invocation of the Holy Spirit through angelic prayer-Ave Maria and so forth.

Then it is developed by arranging the parts after one another, by dividing and subdividing.

FIRST DIVISION

Death is twofold, spiritual and corporeal. Of things spiritual some are virtuous, some vicious. This is the subdivision of the first member. On the first is said: "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." On the second, the verse of the Apostle : "Blessed is he who hath been freed from a second death." 8

SUBDIVISION OF THE SECOND MEMBER

Of deaths corporeal, some are natural, some violent. On the former the passage from Kings is quoted: "We must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground." On the latter, the verse from Jeremiah: "Let us condemn him to a shameful death." 2

"2

This theme fits our purpose because the prelocution is formed by distributing Gospel passages therein.

After the prelocution comes the division of the theme, then the subdivision of the principal parts of the theme, as is clear from examples.

As the theme, prelocution, division, and subdivision of the theme now stand, the sermon is not yet complete unless some principal part is amplified through other materials, to wit, through adduced authorities. Otherwise the sermon becomes too short and simple. Therefore certain methods should be used through which the whole sermon is to be expanded as conveniently as possible.

Likewise observe how the main material of all sermons, yes, rather of all of Sacred Scripture is comprised of these ten topics: God, the Devil, the Heavenly City, Inferno, the world, the soul, the body, sin, penitence, virtue. Very few indeed are these in proportion to the multitude of sermons. But even they, expanded according to the need of the hearers, grow as if into infinity.

The amplification of sermons is to be accomplished in nine ways: first, through agreements of authorities; second, through discussion of words; third, through the properties of things; fourth, through a manifold exposition or a variety of senses; fifth, through similes and natural truths; sixth, through marking of the opposite, to wit, correction; seventh, through comparisons; eighth, through interpretation of a name; ninth, through multiplication of synonyms. These means have been clarified in their order on the tree sketched at the end of the present treatise. After I successively expound each single method, together with its materials and examples, there will be an end to the present task.

First, accordingly, the sermon is expanded through agreements of authorities. Such agreements are threefold: of the Bible, of

Auth. Vers. II Sam. xiv, 14.

"Wisd. of Sol. ii, 20. Erroneously ascribed to Jer.

sacred authorities, and of the moral philosophers. So also they are taken up in three ways: from a same, from a like, and from a contrary. Take the passage: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree." From a same: "The righteous shall flourish like the lily." From a like: "The righteous has these blessings: he is brave and prudent. And since he performs good works, he shall be rewarded." From a contrary: "The unrighteous, however, doth evil and so shall be punished."

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Secondly, a sermon is expanded through discussion of words, and the like. There should be a discussion of the words both in the theme and in the authorities adduced. When the preacher wishes to discuss the words of Christ from some authority, he should first consider how many clausule the authority has, and the order of the clauses or of the words. For when the authority has several clausula, the preacher should consider whether he can adapt some one of them to the number of virtues and vices, or to the parts of penitence. This discussion of words can also be performed through definitions or descriptions of the term taken up in the theme. Take for illustration the Psalmist's, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree in the home of the Lord." In discussing, I can inquire, who is the righteous? and can answer, he who returns to each what is his-to God, to prelates, to masters, and to men. To God, acts of Grace; to masters, due reverence; and to men, obedience.

Again I can discuss the words alternately, and ask, why the home? why the palm? why the Lord? why the home of the Lord? In the same way, what is good? what is honorable? and so with other words. These apply in the discussion of all themes or of other authoritative passages adduced in a sermon.

So let this theme (Luke xxi, 19) be used: "In your patience ye possess your souls." Now in discussing, I can ask, who is patient? and, what is patience? I can answer, patience is the disregarding of hostility; and the disregarding is forbearance of the mouth from murmurings and dark speech, and is the peace of the heart from hate and rancor. Likewise take the passage: "All men are liars,"" and: "Every one of them is gone back." 3 In dis