Jean-Baptiste Massillon SERMONS DE M MASSILLON EVEQUE DE CLERMONT 1768 Full-Leather Binding Gilt French Catholic Bishop Of Clermont Preacher Orator Petit Careme Prodigal Son Purification Theology Religion Catholic Church

Title: Sermons de M. Massillon, Eveque de Clermont, Ci-devant Pretre de l'Oratoire. L'Un des Quarante de l'Academie Francoise. Petit-Careme
Author: Jean-Baptiste Massillon - Jean Baptiste Massillon was a French Catholic bishop and famous preacher, Bishop of Clermont from 1717 until his death. Massillon gained a wide reputation as a preacher and was selected to be the Advent preacher at the court of Versailles in 1699. He was made Bishop of Clermont in 1717, and two years later was elected a member of the Académie française. The last years of his life were spent in the faithful discharge of his episcopal duties; his death took place at Clermont on September 18, 1742. Massillon enjoyed in the 18th century a reputation equal to that of Bossuet and of Bourdaloue, and has been much praised for his eloquence by Voltaire, D'Alembert and kindred spirits among the Encyclopaedists.

Massillon's popularity was most likely due to the fact that in his sermons he lays little stress on dogmatic questions, but treats generally of moral subjects, in which the secrets of the human heart and the processes of man's reason are described with poetical feeling. He has usually been contrasted with his predecessor Bourdaloue, the latter having the credit of vigorous denunciation, Massillon that of gentle persuasiveness. Besides the Petit Carême, a sermon which he delivered before the young king Louis XV of France in 1718, his sermons on the Prodigal Son, on the small number of the elect, on death, for Christmas Day, and for the Fourth Sunday in Advent, may be perhaps cited as his masterpieces. His funeral oration on King Louis XIV of France is only noted now for the opening sentence: "Dieu seul est grand." (Only God is great.) But, in truth, Massillon is singularly free from inequality. His great literary power, his reputation for benevolence, and his known toleration and dislike of doctrinal disputes caused him to be much more favourably regarded than most churchmen by the philosophers of the 18th century. The first edition of Massillon's complete works was published by his nephew, also an Oratorian (Paris, 1745–1748), and upon this, in the absence of manuscripts, succeeding reprints were based.


Publisher: La Veuve Etienne & Fils/Jean Herissant
City: Paris
Year: 1768
Binding Style: Hardcover
Pagination: XXX, 4 pages advertisements, 336 pages
Width: 4" Height: 6.75"
Book Details: This handsome antique volume is bound in full leather with raised spine bands, and gilt lettering and tooling to the spine and board edges. The text block edges are tinted red and the endpapers are of decorative marbled paper. The text is enhanced with engraved vignettes. Translated loosely, the title reads: “Sermons of Mr. Massillon, Bishop of Clermont, Former Priest of the Oratory. One of the Forty of the French Academyâ€.
Condition / Notes: This volume shows well with some typical indications of age and wear, including shelfwear and rubbing. The binding and text block are sound, with lightly fanned boards. Text and vignettes are clear and crisp on quite clean pages.

For lots which include only books, our shipping charge applies to any address within the fifty United States. For lots which are not books, the stated shipping cost in this listing will apply only to addresses within the continental 48 states. Within those parameters, the shipping cost for this lot will be: $4.50