Book of Collections on the Art of Preaching

let there be attention
THE INTRODUCTION conciliates the listener. The conclusion moves them. The other parts teach, and the whole delights.

THE PREACHER'S SPEECH revolves around three species. For it looks either to man as far as he is alone; or to men among themselves; or to men in some relation to divine things. The first is moral philosophy tropologically interpreted via moral instruction. The second is the civil law of Christians allegorically interpreted via symbolic representation. The third is completed by theology anagogically interpreted via spiritual elevation. In each of these species, three ends of sermons are established. For we propose to ourselves either equity, utility, or honesty. Equity accuses or defends a man. Utility encourages or discourages the community of the faithful. Honesty praises or censures human activity in divine matters. Yet all these stand by mutual aid.

One who is about to make a sermon ought to premeditate before whom, what, how, with what opinion of the listeners, in what place, and at what time it is to be preached, so that the sermon may be tempered according to the reasons for these. If you know the morals of those before whom it is to be preached, you will easily be able to take up an introduction. If you know what is to be said, the reading itself will already be known to you. If you know how, you will certainly divide more correctly, and so on for the rest.

ON THE INTRODUCTION

THE INTRODUCTION immediately renders the listener's mind suitable for listening. It is taken up so that we may have attentive, docile, and benevolent listeners, although we ought to strive for that same thing throughout the entire sermon as well.

Theme

There are three parts of the introduction. The first, which comprises the sum of the cause, is accustomed to be called by the Greek name thesis or thema topic, which the Latins name a position or proposition. Its duty...