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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
Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology in Yale University
1908
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
Jean Baptiste Massillon was born in 1663, at HyŤres, in Provence,France. He first attracted notice as a pulpit orator by his funeralsermons as the Archbishop of Vienne, which led to his preferment fromhis class of theology at Meaux to the presidency of the Seminaryof Magloire at Paris. His conferences at Paris showed remarkablespiritual insight and knowledge of the human heart. He was a favoritepreacher of Louis XIV and Louis XV, and after being appointed bishopof Clermont in 1719 he was also nominated to the French Academy. In1723 he took final leave of the capital and retired to his see, wherehe lived beloved by all until his death in 1742.
1662-1742
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 toheaven is really so difficult, and the number of the saved really sosmall as we represent? To a question so often proposed, and stilloftener resolved, our Savior answers you here, that there were manywidows in Israel afflicted with famine; but the widow of Sarepta wasalone found worthy the succor of the prophet Elias; that the numberof lepers was great in Israel in the time of the prophet Eliseus; andthat Naaman was only cured by the man of God.
Were I here, my brethren, for the purpose of alarming, rather thaninstructing you, I had only to recapitulate what in the holy writingswe find dreadful with regard to this great truth; and, running overthe history of the just, from age to age, show you that, in all times,the number of the saved has been very small. The family of N