Massillon

1775 · Best.-Nr. 9900044436 — Paris: Les Freres Estienne 1775. Hardcover. 12mo. Five volumes bound in full leather. Our offering consist of five books of his sermons including 'Careme' first and third volumes; 'Petit Careme; 'Panegyriques'; and Oraisons Funebres et Professions Relgieuses'. All are bound in full leather etched in the French style of the period with the spine in compartments. The copies are de-accessioned from two religious libraries showing the usual markings. The spines show some wear and there is minor rubbing to the edges of the boards but the binding remains tight and the contents except as noted are unmarked. Massillon 1663-1742 was a French Catholic bishop and famous preacher who served as Bishop of Clermont from 1717 until his death. He preached for several years before King Louis XIV and one of his sermons 'On the Fewness of the Elect' was considered a masterpiece. The king is said to have remarked that he had been pleased with his court preachers before but when he heard Massillon preach he was dissatisfied with himself. In 1718 he preached to the young Louis XV a series of ten sermons urging upon him and his court the obligation of morality and just government. These sermons became his most famous work. The Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church notes p. 268 that 'his sermons were of such beautiful style that they comprise some of the finest in French literature.'. Les Freres Estienne hardcover