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Samuel Davies

Samuel Davies

Samuel Davies (1723 - 1761)

Presbyterian preacher in colonial British America who defended religious dissent and helped lead the Southern phase of the religious revival known as the Great Awakening. Davies was educated at Samuel Blair’s “log college” at Fagg’s Manor, Pa., and was ordained in 1747. His work during the Great Awakening centred at Hanover, Va.; in Virginia, where Presbyterians were persecuted as Nonconformists by the established church leaders, he became a chief defender of the Dissenters. He argued their cause before the Virginia general court and enlisted the support of prominent English and Scottish Dissenters. The government’s preoccupations after the outbreak of the French and Indian War (1754), however, diminished concern over Davies, especially when his war sermons helped rouse Virginians to defend the frontier.

Davies further enhanced his reputation as the outstanding preacher of his day by sermons given in England and Scotland during a trip with the evangelist Gilbert Tennent. Soon after his return Davies became the first moderator of the first presbytery of Virginia, Hanover, in 1755. On the same trip Davies raised funds in England for the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and was its fourth president from 1759 until his death.

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Samuel Davies

A Christmas-day Sermon

A Christmas-day Sermon By Samuel Davies, December 25, 1760 "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good-will towards men!" Luke 2:13, 14 This is the day which the church of Rome, and some oth... Read More
Samuel Davies

A New Year's Gift!

A New Year's Gift! by Samuel Davies, January 1, 1760 "Knowing the time—that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Romans 13:11 TIME, like an ever-running stream, is perpetually gliding on, and hurrying each of us into the boundless ocean o... Read More
Samuel Davies

A Time of Unusual Sickness and Mortality Improved

A Time of Unusual Sickness and Mortality Improved By Samuel Davies, November 14, 1756. "O Lord, are not your eyes upon the truth? You have stricken them—but they have not grieved; you have consumed them—but they have refused to receive correction! They have made their faces harder than a rock: they ... Read More
Samuel Davies

An Enrollment of Our Names in Heaven —the Noblest Source of Joy

An Enrollment of Our Names in Heaven—the Noblest Source of Joy by Samuel Davies, January 14, 1759 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!" He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes a... Read More
Samuel Davies

Divine Government—the Joy of Our World

Divine Government—the Joy of Our World by Samuel Davies "The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of islands be glad!" Psalm 97:1 Wise and good rulers are justly accounted an extensive blessing to their subjects. In a government where wisdom sits at the helm; and where justice, temp... Read More
Samuel Davies

Divine Mercy to Mourning Penitents

Divine Mercy to Mourning Penitents By Samuel Davies "I have surely heard Ephraim's moaning: 'You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the LORD my God. After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I struck my thigh... Read More
Samuel Davies

Evidences of the Lack of Love to God

Evidences of the Lack of Love to God by Samuel Davies, Hanover, Virginia; April 14, 1756 "But I know you—that you have not the love of God in you." John 5:42 Nothing seems to be a more natural duty for a creature—nothing is more essential to true religion—nothing more necessary as a principle of obe... Read More
Samuel Davies

God the Sovereign of All Kingdoms

God the Sovereign of All Kingdoms by Samuel Davies, at Hanover, Virginia, on March 5, 1755, on a day of fasting and prayer "The Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men—and gives them to anyone he wishes!" Daniel 4:25 That this world owes its existence to the creating power of God, and th... Read More
Samuel Davies

In Time of War

In Times of War By Samuel Davies, Hanover, Virginia; July 20, 1755. "An oracle concerning the Valley of Vision: What troubles you now, that you have all gone up on the roofs, O town full of commotion, O city of tumult and revelry? Your slain were not killed by the sword, nor did they die in battle. ... Read More
Samuel Davies

Ingratitude to God—a Heinous but General Iniquity

Ingratitude to God—a Heinous but General Iniquity by Samuel Davies "Hezekiah's heart was proud—and he did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD's wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem." 2 Chronicles 32:25 Among the many vices that are at once universally decri... Read More
Samuel Davies

Jesus Christ, the Only Foundation

Jesus Christ, the Only Foundation Samuel Davies, February 13, 1757 (Editor's note: This sermon starts a bit slow, as Davies explains the context; but do not despair, as it is one of the most insightful and powerful sermons that we have read.) "Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold! I lay in Zion ... Read More
Samuel Davies

Lessons from the Recent EARTHQUAKE

Lessons from the Recent EARTHQUAKE Preached in Hanover county, Virginia, June 19, 1756, by Samuel Davies. (Note: In this sermon, Davies is referring to the Great Lisbon Earthquake which took place on November 1, 1755. Contemporary reports state that the earthquake lasted nearly six minutes, causing ... Read More
Samuel Davies

Life and Immortality Revealed in the Gospel

Life and Immortality Revealed in the Gospel Samuel Davies A sermon preached at the funeral of a young man, on September 1, 1756 "Who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before... Read More
Samuel Davies

Life's Shortness and Vanity

Indifference to the Things of this Present Life —Urged from Life's Shortness and Vanity A funeral sermon by Samuel Davies (1724–1761) "What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on, those who have wives—should live as if they had none; those who mourn—as if they did not; those who re... Read More
Samuel Davies

Looking unto Christ

The Nature of Looking unto Christ Opened and Explained by Samuel Davies "Look unto Me—and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else!" Isaiah 45:22 It is the peculiar sin and unhappiness of the Christianized world, that while they profess and speculatively believe Jesu... Read More
Samuel Davies

On the Death of King George II

On the Death of King George II by Samuel Davies (Delivered on January 14, 1761, at Princeton College. It is interesting to note that Davies himself died shortly after delivering this sermon, on February 4—at the age of 37.) "How the mighty have fallen!" 2 Samuel 1:19 George is dead! George, the migh... Read More
Samuel Davies

Poor and Contrite Spirits—the Objects of the Divine Favor

Poor and Contrite Spirits—the Objects of the Divine Favor by Samuel Davies "To this man will I look—even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word." Isaiah 66:2 As we consist of physical bodies—as well as immortal souls; and are endowed with corporeal senses—as well as ra... Read More
Samuel Davies

Practical Atheism, in Denying the Agency of Divine Providence, Exposed

Practical Atheism, in Denying the Agency of Divine Providence, Exposed by Samuel Davies, Hanover, Virginia; April 4, 1756 "And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men who are settled on their lees; who say in their heart—the Lord will not do ... Read More
Samuel Davies

Rejection of Christ—a Common, and Most Unreasonable Iniquity

Rejection of Christ—a Common, and Most Unreasonable Iniquity by Samuel Davies, January 16, 1758 "He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, 'They will respect my son.'" Mark 12:6 There is no sin more common or more pernicious in the professing Christian world, th... Read More
Samuel Davies

Religion the Highest Wisdom, and Sin the Greatest Madness and Folly

Religion the Highest Wisdom, and Sin the Greatest Madness and Folly by Samuel Davies "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His commandments have good understanding." Psalm 111:10 WISDOM is a character so honorable and ornamental to a reasonable being, that those who best k... Read More

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