Metadata
Title
Gilbert Tennent sermons 76, "Decimum precept" (On the tenth commandment), 1745
Date
1745/1761
Digital Identifier
PHS.TennentSermons076
Description
Gilbert Tennent (1703-1764) was an Irish-American Presbyterian clergyman, and one of the leaders of the Great Awakening.
This manuscript contains two sermons, both on the subject of the tenth commandment (you shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.) The two sermons were originally delivered one week apart in 1745. From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent delivered one or both of the sermons again in 1751, 1756, and 1761.
This manuscript contains two sermons, both on the subject of the tenth commandment (you shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.) The two sermons were originally delivered one week apart in 1745. From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent delivered one or both of the sermons again in 1751, 1756, and 1761.
Subject
Place
Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Congregation
Second Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA
Holding Institution
Presbyterian Historical Society
Extent
20 pages
Format (Digital)
tiff
Rights
http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
Language
eng
Type
Text
Abstract
Decimum preceptum (The Tenth Commandment) recognizes that restraint of internal desires, especially of lawless desires, those leading to the crimes forbidden in the negative Commandments, must encourage obedience to the Commandments and helps regulate one's life. This commandment deals with envy, brought on by three things: discontent with one's own situation, feeling increasing disquiet and then envy at a neighbor's prosperity or upset about not having something that the individual badly wants, and attempts made to fulfill that desire, unlawfully. Causes: overweening sense of what one deserves; inability to accept disappointment in worldly affairs, and seeing futility in relying on God's providence, not learning and growing from apparent failures, or failing to perceive the benefits already received. The one who envies becomes unfit for the proper worship of God and a bad example to those around him who might be dissuaded from belief, or whose faith is new and might need propping up. Envy, carried to obsession, risks crime.
The second sermon talks of two duties required by the Tenth Commandment: contentment and neighborliness. Contentment is not sloth or inattention but calm realization that we have enough for our needs, find our comfort in God and are mindful of God's providence and whatever it may entail; His judgement is wise, irresistible, righteous, gracious and just. We are his creatures and his servants, living in a probationary, temporary state on earth. Detailed additional remarks on contentment and how to achieve it, how to deal with earthly set-backs, with piety and the help of prayer being two of a number of methods bringing reconciliation with
ourselves and our neighbor's havings.
The second sermon talks of two duties required by the Tenth Commandment: contentment and neighborliness. Contentment is not sloth or inattention but calm realization that we have enough for our needs, find our comfort in God and are mindful of God's providence and whatever it may entail; His judgement is wise, irresistible, righteous, gracious and just. We are his creatures and his servants, living in a probationary, temporary state on earth. Detailed additional remarks on contentment and how to achieve it, how to deal with earthly set-backs, with piety and the help of prayer being two of a number of methods bringing reconciliation with
ourselves and our neighbor's havings.
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IIIF Manifest
https://www.philageohistory.org/rdic-images/iiif.cfm/PHS.TennentSermons076/manifest
