THE WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS _COMPILED BY_ GRENVILLE KLEISER Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty; Author of "How to Speak in Public," Etc. With Assistance from Many of the Foremost Living Preachers and Other Theologians INTRODUCTION BY LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D. Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology in Yale University VOLUME III MASSILLON TO MASON 1908 CONTENTS VOLUME III MASSILLON (1663-1742). The Small Number of the Elect SAURIN (1677-1730). Paul Before Felix and Drusilla EDWARDS (1703-1758). Spiritual Light WESLEY (1703-1791). God's Love to Fallen Man WHITEFIELD (1714-1770). The Method of Grace BLAIR (1718-1800). The Hour and the Event of all Time DWIGHT (1752-1817). The Sovereignty of God ROBERT HALL (1764-1831). Marks of Love to God EVANS (1766-1838). The Fall and Recovery of Man SCHLEIERMACHER (1768-1834). Christ's Resurrection an Image of our New Life MASON (1770-1829). Messiah's Throne MASSILLON THE SMALL NUMBER OF THE ELECT BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Jean Baptiste Massillon was born in 1663, at Hyères, in Provence, France. He first attracted notice as a pulpit orator by his funeral sermons as the Archbishop of Vienne, which led to his preferment from his class of theology at Meaux to the presidency of the Seminary of Magloire at Paris. His conferences at Paris showed remarkable spiritual insight and knowledge of the human heart. He was a favorite preacher of Louis XIV and Louis XV, and after being appointed bishop of Clermont in 1719 he was also nominated to the French Academy. In 1723 he took final leave of the capital and retired to his see, where he lived beloved by all until his death in 1742. MASSILLON 1662-1742 THE SMALL NUMBER OF THE ELECT _And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian_.--Luke iv., 27. Every day, my brethren, you continue to ask of us, whether the road to heaven is really so difficult, and the number of the saved really so small as we represent? To a question so often proposed, and still oftener resolved, our Savior answers you here, that there were many widows in Israel afflicted with famine; but the widow of Sarepta was alone found worthy the succor of the prophet Elias; that the number of lepers was great in Israel in the time of the prophet Eliseus; and that Naaman was only cured by the man of God.