Book of Collections on the Art of Preaching

of the church, consists of enumeration and amplification.

ENUMERATION is that through which we collect in order and move the audience regarding the matters about which we have spoken, briefly, so that the sermon does not end by being restated.

Care must be taken that the enumeration of the sermon is not repeated from the beginning or from the reading. Therefore, the beginning of the enumeration must be taken according to the division.

AMPLIFICATION has the entire power to move lukewarm minds and to calm those that are agitated.

MOTION is the incitement of the mind, either toward pleasure, or toward modesty, or toward fear, or toward desire.

Men are moved toward pleasure, or through charity—such as that for God, the angels, the saints, the church—or through love, such as that for brethren, spouses, children, relatives, prelates, and offices in the church; or through honesty, such as that for virtues—especially those that contribute to the communion of men, to liberality, to the alleviation of mandates, and to the serenity of consciences; or through decorum, by transferring sensible things to the intellect, then to the mind, and finally to an angelic life.

From these, exhortations are also taken to retain those things, and hatreds are incited against those by whom they have been violated, and pity is born.

ON COMMON PLACES

COMMON PLACES are very useful for that through which the auditor is to be incited, or moderated in speech by every reason, according to time, place, and cause. Where often benevolence must be led to hatred, and hatred to benevolence. Who must be swayed now toward severity, now toward the relaxation of the mind, now toward sadness, now toward joy.