Page:Sermons for all the Sundays in the year.djvu/22

 to the movement of the passions which is to follow; whence the preacher, in his recapitulation, should commence to move the passions. 14. As to the moral exhortation, it may be observed, that oftentimes the principal fruit of the sermon consists, especially in discourses addressed to the people, in explaining the moral truths suitable to the subject of the discourse, with propriety and earnestness. The preacher, therefore, should take care to speak against the most prevalent vices, viz.: hatred, impurity, blasphemy; against evil occasions, wicked companions; against parents who allow their children to hold intercourse with persons of different sex; and especially against mothers who invite young men into their houses to converse with their daughters. Let him also exhort the heads of families to remove from their houses bad books, and particularly novels, which insinuate a secret poison that corrupts youth. Let him speak against games of hazard, which are the ruin of families and of souls. 15. In a word, let the preacher endeavour, in his sermons, always to insinuate whatever he can that is practical that is, the remedies of the different vices; the means of persevering in a virtuous life; such as, to fly dangerous occasions and bad company; to offer violence to one’s self in motions of anger, so as not to break out into injurious actions or words; by suggesting to the hearers some form of expression, to avoid blasphemies or imprecations; for example, ”Lord, give me patience!” “Virgin Mary, assist me!" and the like. Let him recommend the people to hear Mass every morning: to read every day some spiritual book; every morning to renew the resolutions of not offending God, and to ask the