Necessity of praising God for mercies received
This sermon by Gilbert Tennent emerges from the intense spiritual climate of the early Great Awakening, when questions of genuine religious experience and proper Christian response dominated colonial American pulpits. Preached in 1734 during the height of his evangelical ministry in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the work addresses what Tennent saw as a critical deficiency among professing Christians: their failure to adequately acknowledge and praise God for received blessings. The sermon responds to Tennent's observation that many believers readily petition God in times of need but neglect sustained gratitude when those needs are met.
Tennent constructs his argument around the biblical imperative for thanksgiving as both duty and spiritual discipline. He demonstrates that praising God for mercies is not optional courtesy but essential obedience, rooted in recognition of divine sovereignty and human dependence. The sermon moves through careful exposition of Scripture to show how gratitude functions as both evidence of genuine conversion and means of spiritual growth. Tennent argues that ingratitude represents a form of practical atheism, revealing hearts that have not truly grasped their complete reliance on divine grace. He connects individual thanksgiving to corporate worship, showing how personal praise strengthens the entire Christian community and bears witness to God's faithfulness before unbelievers.
The work exemplifies the theological rigor and pastoral urgency that made Tennent a central figure in early American revivalism, combining careful biblical exegesis with pointed application to contemporary spiritual conditions. Its enduring value lies in addressing a perennial Christian struggle: maintaining gratitude amid prosperity and routine blessing. The sermon's systematic treatment of thanksgiving as spiritual discipline rather than mere emotion provides practical guidance for believers seeking to cultivate authentic praise.
Who should read this: Christians struggling with ingratitude or seeking to deepen their practice of thanksgiving will find Tennent's biblical framework particularly helpful. Those interested in Great Awakening theology or early American Reformed preaching will appreciate its historical significance, though readers expecting contemporary therapeutic approaches to gratitude may find its doctrinal emphasis challenging.