Christ Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Dorr, Benjamin, 1796-1869]]> Sermons]]> Christ Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Dorr, Benjamin, 1796-1869]]> Bible. New Testament]]> Bible. Gospels]]> Bible. Luke]]> Episcopal Church]]>
The inside front cover notes six dates Reverend Dorr delivered this sermon, from 1851 to 1865.

Note: page numbering follows the text, which contains three page sevens.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Christ Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Dorr, Benjamin, 1796-1869]]> Sermons]]> Christ Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Dorr, Benjamin, 1796-1869]]> Bible. New Testament]]> Bible. Gospels]]> Bible. Luke]]> Episcopal Church]]>
This sermon lays out Reverend Dorr's thoughts on Luke 4:25 and 4:26, "But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow."

Dorr narrates the visit of the prophet Elijah/Elias to a widow outside of Sarepta, a Phoenician town in what is now Lebanon. A severe famine has sent Israel into distress and mourning, but God directs Elijah to visit a humble unbeliever with a generous heart. Of particular interest is the travel narrative that Dorr includes in his sermon, which recalls a trip that he and his son made to the Near East where they traced Elijah's route. He made many edits to his remarks about their journey over time.

The inside front cover notes five dates Reverend Dorr delivered this sermon, from 1859 to 1867.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Bible. Acts]]> Bible. Psalms]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
Tennent begins this sermon, "On placing one's spirit in God's hands," by citing Luke 23:46, Acts 7:59, and Psalms 31:5. From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote this sermon in 1748, then delivered it again in 1757.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Bible. Peter, 1st]]> Bible. Isaiah]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
Tennent begins this sermon, "On the passions of Christ," by citing Luke 24:26, 1 Peter 2:21, Isaiah 53:5. ("Passions" in this context refers to suffering.) From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote this sermon in 1748, then delivered it again in 1750, 1752, 1758, and 1759.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Deuteronomy]]> Bible. Luke]]> Bible. Revelation]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
Tennent begins this sermon, on the subject of reading scripture, by citing Deuteronomy 17:19, Luke 4:16, and Revelation 1:3. From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote this sermon in 1750, then delivered it again in 1752, 1756, 1760, and 1763.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
The front page of this sermon, which contains the title, is torn and obscures Tennent's wording. From the first lines of Tennent's text, however, it seems the title probably loosely translates to "The heart of a sinner is the palace of the devil." Tennent begins the sermon with reference to Luke 11:21-22.

From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote this sermon in 1750, then delivered it again in 1760.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Genesis]]> Bible. Luke]]> Bible. Revelation]]> Bible. Isaiah]]>
Tennent wrote this sermon about the ability of man to commune with God's holy spirit. He begins by citing the following Bible verses:

Genesis 6:3, "And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years."

Luke 19:42, "Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes."

Revelation 22:11, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still."

Isaiah 55:6, "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near."

From dates noted on this manuscript, it appears Tennent wrote this sermon in 1744, and delivered it again in 1745.]]>
Rev. Tennent breaks his presentation into four topics: 
 1. When the Spirit may be said to strive with us, on our side, in a succinct yet comprehensive statement of a right heart and mind realizing visible prosperity:   
2. investigation of the truth of this proposition, illustrated by negative instances, e.g., Pharaoh's hardening of heart and Saul's paranoia in which both powerful men lost the favor of God;
3. the reasons why the Holy Spirit ceases to reach out to people, and
4. the reasons for coming to this terrible decision.

The flow of the text is broken by long-ago mistakes in the re-insertion and sequencing of loose pages, plus newer or revised pages inserted as well which require careful attention to page-to-page syntax.  ]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
Tennent begins this sermon about immoderate care for worldly things by citing Luke 10:41-42, "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

From dates noted in the manuscript, it appears Tennent wrote this sermon in 1744, and delivered it again in 1753 and 1760.]]>
A short sermon on Luke 10:41-42, and the contrasting behaviors of Martha and Mary. Jesus chides Martha for being too concerned about household matters, and says that Mary, sitting at his feet and and hearing what he has to say, is doing the one thing needful.

The original pages of the manuscript are headed Luke 10:41-42; there is an insert of one folded page written on all four sides, which is almost an outline or set of notes; it is much more hastily written, with partial phrases and one-word prompts, headed [verse] 42 only. The insert does include a brief section of typical objections or counter-arguments that hearers would have raised, with the Reverend's answers.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Bible. Ephesians]]> Bible. Zechariah]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
This manuscript contains three sermons. Tennent begins the first sermon, about drunkenness, by citing Luke 21:3-4. He begins the second sermon, comparing hope to a helmet, by citing Ephesians 6:17. Finally, he begins the third sermon, comparing Christ to a fountain, by citing Zechariah 13:1.

From dates noted on the manuscript, it looks like the first and second sermons were delivered together, in 1744 or 1745, and the third shortly after. One or all were also delivered in 1748, 1749, 1757 and 1760.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Galatians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Bible. Hebrews]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
The front cover of this manuscript lists three sermons, all on the subject of redemption, but it is not clear if there is more than one sermon present in the pages that survive. The first page is torn, but lists Galatians 3:13 and several other Bible verses. Other verses mentioned in the text include Luke 1:71, Galatians 3:13, and Hebrews 9:14.]]>
Sermon 38 reviews the types of earthly ransom, and, closely-argued, asserts that the son of God achieved eternal ransom or redemption for believers beyond what any earthly ransom could match. The discussion of ransom, of actions that might bring about ransom: free pardon, payment, satisfaction, are also mentioned in Sermon 36, On the Beauty of Christ." Some of the subtopics here,-- the meritorious cause, the instrumental cause, the effective cause-- recall the same breakdown at the end of Sermon 36, as causes of justification.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Matthew]]> Bible. Luke]]> Bible. James]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
This manuscript contains two sermons by Tennent. The first sermon begins with reference to Luke 2:49, “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” and Matthew 20:6 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

The second sermon, on faithful prayer, begins with reference to Matthew 21:22, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive;" and James 1:6, "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote these sermons in 1745, then delivered one or both again in 1746 or 1747, 1749, 1753, 1756 and 1760.]]>
how to do so, and why. It reminds us that having regard for God's glory should be the

first and highest responsibility of man, guiding his responsibilities toward his secular work, activities and ambition in society, and the raising of his family.

Includes questions and answers.

De orandi in fide (On faithful praying) discusses in four propositions: the nature of prayer; the kinds of prayer: silent or spoken aloud; in public, private, or secret; what is supposed and implied in praying believingly; and how God encourages us to pray in faith. Rev. Tennent seems to begin with the third proposition: praying believingly. Supposed: faith in the petitioner; subject agreeable to God according to what his revealed will is in his precepts and promises. The petitioner must be humble, wait on the Lord, God's time, tho it be slow; pray conditionally, fervently, towards the glory of God, since an unmet prayer might be for some selfish desire, or a prayer uttered coldly be one which expects denial.

Christ the mediator works powerfully to help the believer; the individual's earthly life and prayers become strengthened and improved in heaven, through Christ's blood-sacrifice. The Holy Spirit energizes prayer and its effects in heaven. God's promises and providences came even at times to the outwardly undeserving (of olden times (Ishmael and Ahab), God offered a better fulfilment to those whose prayers were not answered -- David's illicit chlld died, but the wise and prosperous son Solomon was born later; Moses was refused the Promised Land, but saw it from afar and died to dwell in heaven.

A section of common objections to this message follows, with Rev. Tennent's responses, which build to a compelling list of God's promises to the one who prays with sincerity and earnestly to him.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. John]]> Bible. Luke]]> Bible. Mark]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
Tennent begins this sermon by citing Luke 24:25, "Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." He also cites Mark 9:24 and John 6:44. From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote this sermon in 1745, then delivered it again in 1748, 1751, 1755, and 1759.]]>
More interesting for today are the many reasons given for man's slowness, which show Rev. Tennent's years of experience and knowledge of how people's minds work, which in his day he ascribes to the workings of Satan: arrogance, thinking that faith is effortless and that God will forgive anything; unwillingness to believe in the new Covenant of free grace no matter what they hear of it from others until the Holy Spirit opens their hearts to it, and even then they think that all they need is to do good works, influenced by the way we're trained for school and working life. Or, as independent men, they are too proud to want anything "free" and to be beholden to Christ, not to seem self-sufficient. They're reluctant to beg rather than dicker for an agreement man-to-man, and even expect the Almighty to cater to their wants rather than be subordinate to God and his will.

Other men feel they are presumptuous in believing in God's mercy for such as they; having sinned before, they're inferior and dare not hope for justice and mercy later, even with the invitations given in the Bible. Some think they've sinned beyond forgiveness, others that their sins haven't been bad enough to merit mercy. For some, loud laments and breast-beating offer temporary if illusive relief but don't tend toward progress.

For these last, Rev. Tennent begins a section of practical theology: people's excuses and his responses. In this as in other sermons, Rev. Tennent, harsh to backsliders, is patient towards those who honestly struggle with diffidence and wavering faith. His comments on how Satan mitigates sin to the worldly are also interesting: sin is either trifling or non-existent-- and disguises miscreants by rationalizing, even glorifying them, e.g., the spendthrift as generous; the drunkard as sociable; the greedy or miserly as frugal.

MS difficult to read, as the paper of poor quality; lots of show-through from writing on each side of a page. See note on [p. 18] where very faint writing which needed reading with a hand-mirror seems to complete the visibly broken-off text.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Matthew]]> Bible. John]]> Bible. Luke]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
Tennent cites three Bible verses in this sermon on the subject of "fruitfulness:" First, Matthew 3:10, "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Second, John 15:8, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." Third, Luke 13:7, "Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?"

From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote this sermon in 1744, and delivered it again in 1745 or 1746, 1747, 1748, 1750 and 1755. However, the back cover proclaims "A sermon occasioned by the Late proclamation for a general Fast, preached at Philadelphia January 7, 1747."]]>
Reading from the title on p. 2, it begins with a salute to the virtues of the grape vine, known throughout the ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds as a wonderfully useful plant medically for its stem and leaves as well as for its grapes and wine. The sermon then extends fruitfulness to human beings, who should work with Christ and the Holy Spirit always in mind as sources of their best selves, As the sermon was revised and re-thought, appropriate means for following Christ were added to the verso of the later title page on the front cover.

The back cover offered a surprise and a research bonus. It is a draft of a title page for a sermon presented by Rev. Tennent as part of a Fast held in Philadelphia in 1747 that prayed for a resolution of fighting between armies in Europe (King George's War, 1744-1748, North American portion of the Wars of the Austrian Succession, fought as one of the French and Indian Wars to determine whether Britain or France should rule over North America.) [A bit more detail given on the Back cover page of Sermon 77 in the PCER project.]

The more specific title given on another page of the original is: Rev. Mr. Tennent's sermon on fasting and prayer. (viewed online, Aug. 1, 2026, via the National Library of Australia, https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/10225698)]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Matthew]]> Bible. John]]> Bible. Luke]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
This manuscript contains two sermons by Tennent. The first sermon, "On God's love," begins with citations of Matthew 22:37-38 and John 4:16. The second sermon, "On the penitent thief," begins with reference to Luke 23:39-43.

From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote these sermons in 1747, then delivered one or both of them in 1749, 1750, 1753, 1755, 1758, and 1762.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
This manuscript contains two sermons by Tennent. "On wine and oil" and "On Christ's care" both refer to Luke 10:34, "And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him."

From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote these sermons in 1747, then delivered one or both of them again in 1751, 1758, and 1762.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
Tennent wrote this sermon on the parable of the lost sheep, as told in Luke 15:3-10. From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote this sermon in 1747 and delivered it again in 1760.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
Tennent wrote this second sermon on the parable of the lost sheep, concentrating on Luke 15:4-5, "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing."

From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote this sermon in 1747, then delivered it again in 1749, 1757, and 1763.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764]]> Great Awakening]]> Presbyterians]]> Bible. Luke]]> Bible. Thessalonians, 1st]]> Bible. Timothy, 1st]]> Bible. James]]> Bible. Hebrews]]> Presbyterian Church]]>
Tennent begins this sermon on the subject of patience by citing six Bible verses: Luke 21:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, 1 Timothy 6:11, James 5:11, Hebrews 10:36 and Hebrews 12:1. From dates noted in the manuscript, it looks like Tennent wrote this sermon in 1747, then delivered it again in 1748, 1749, 1750 or 1751, 1752, 1759, 1763, and 1764.]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> White, William, 1748-1836]]> Christ Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Sermons]]> United Churches of Christ-Church and St. Peter's (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> White, William, 1748-1836]]> Bible. New Testament]]> Bible. Gospels]]> Bible. Luke]]> Episcopal Church]]>
In this sermon, Reverend White discusses his thoughts on Luke 16:19-20, "There was a certain rich Man, who was clothed in Purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every Day, and there was a certain Beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his Gate full of Sores."]]> Sermons]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]>