nd comprehensive, reaching as it does from the fourth to the
twentieth century, than any collection known to the writer. In the
selection Professor Kleiser has brought to his task a personal knowledge
of homiletic literature that is the product of much observation and
study during many years, and an enthusiasm for his work that has been
fostered by close intercourse in professional service with preachers and
theological students. He has had the assistance also of men whose
acquaintance with homiletic literature is very extensive, whose critical
judgments are sound and reliable and who may be regarded as experts in
this branch of knowledge. These volumes, therefore, may be accepted as a
judiciously selected collection of sermons by many of the most notable
preachers of the ancient and modern Christian world. Their value as
illustrating varieties of gift, diversities of method, racial, national
and ecclesiastical peculiarities, and above all progress in the science
and art of preaching, may well be recognized even by a generation that
is likely to regard anything that is more than twenty-four hours old as
obsolete.

LEWIS O. BRASTOW.

_Yale University, New Haven, Conn., October, 1908._

CONTENTS

VOLUME I

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

BASIL (329-379).
The Creation of the World

CHRYSOSTOM (347-407).
Excessive Grief at the Death of Friends

AUGUSTINE (354-430).
The Recovery of Sight by the Blind

WYCLIF (1324-1384).
Christ's Real Body Not in the Eucharist

SAVONAROLA (1452-1498).
The Ascension of Christ

LUTHER (1483-1546).
The Method and Fruits of Justification

LATIMER (1485-1555).
On Christian Love

MELANCHTHON (1497-1560).
The Safety of the Virtuous

KNOX (1505-1572).
The First Temptation of Christ

CALVIN (1509-1564).
Enduring Persecution for Christ

BASIL

THE CREATION OF THE WORLD

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Basil, bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and styled "The Great," was the
founder of Eastern monasticism, defender of the Nicene doctrines and
doctor of the Church. He was born at Caesarea in 329, and was thoroughly
educated in all that a teacher like Libanius could impart at Rome, and
Himerius at Constantinople. Returning home, he plunged into the
pleasures of social life, but was induced by his sister to visit the
hermits of Syria, Palestine and Egypt. Attracted during his travels to
the religious life, he secluded himself