{"id":18306,"date":"2023-06-24T14:14:05","date_gmt":"2023-06-24T14:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/?p=18306"},"modified":"2023-06-24T14:14:26","modified_gmt":"2023-06-24T14:14:26","slug":"the-life-and-death-of-john-gill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/2023\/06\/the-life-and-death-of-john-gill\/","title":{"rendered":"The Life And Death Of John Gill"},"content":{"rendered":"

J. A. Jones, \u201cBunhill Memorials: Sacred Reminiscences Of Three Hundred Ministers And Other Persons Of Note, Who Are Buried In Bunhill Fields, Of Every Denomination\u201d (1849):<\/strong>[1]<\/sup><\/p>\n

John Gill, D.D., Baptists. In hoc Coemetrio conduntur reliquae Joannis Gill, S. T. P. Viri vitae integri. Discipuli Jesu ingenui; preconis evangelii insignia, defensoris fidei Christianae strenni, qui ingenio, eruditionae, pietate, omatus, laboribusque per inagnis semper invictus annos supra quin- quaginta. Domini mandata facessere ecclesiae res adjuvare, hominum salutem persequi, fervore perpetnoardenti contendit.<\/p>\n

In Christo placide obdormivit Pridie id Octobris, A.D. 1771, setatis suae 74. The above inscription was written by Dr. Samuel Stennett.<\/p>\n

Translation.\u2014In this Sepulchre are deposited the remains of John Gill, professor of Sacred Theology. A man of unblemished reputation, a sincere disciple of Jesus, an excellent preacher of the gospel, a courageous defender of the Christian faith. Who, adorned with piety, learning and skill, was unwearied in works of prodigious labour for more than fifty years. To obey the commands of his great master, to advance the best interests of the church, to promote the salvation of men, impelled with unabated ardour, he put forth all his strength. He placidly fell asleep in Christ, the 14th day of October, in the year of our Lord, 1771, in the 74th year of his age.<\/p>\n

Tomb, E. and W. 20, 21,\u2014N. and S. 65, 66.<\/p>\n

A full account of this great Divine, would extend far beyond the limits of this work; the editor must therefore, aim at all possible brevity.\u2014\u201cDr. Gill leads us into an ocean of divinity; by a system of doctrinal and practical religion, and, by a judicious and learned exposition of the Old and New Testa\u00adments.” John Ryland, A.M.<\/p>\n

John Gill was born at Kettering, in Northamptonshire, Nov. 23,1697. His mind was seriously impressed with divine things when he was about twelve years of age. Mr. Wallis, of Kettering, having preached a sermon from Gen. 3:9, \u201cAnd the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him where art thou?\u201d These interrogations sounded in his ears, and pierced his very soul. \u201cSinner, where art thou? What a wretched condition art thou in! What will be thy state eternally? Art thou able to endure everlasting burnings?\u201d He now began to see and feel, the depravity of his nature, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and his need of salvation by Christ. The Lord was soon graciously pleased to reveal his Son in him, and afford him joy and peace in believing. He joined the Baptist Church, at Kettering, Nov. 4, 1716, being then nineteen years of age. The same evening, at a meeting for prayer, he read and expounded the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. The next Lord\u2019s Day evening he delivered a discourse from 1 Cor. 2:2, \u201cFor I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.\u201d This was his first sermon; and the Lord enabled him to abide by his determination even to the end, so that \u201cChrist and him crucified,\u201d was his constant theme from first to last. Soon after this, he removed to Higham Ferrers, and preached occasionally in the adjacent villages. Early in the year 1719, the Baptist Church meeting, at Fair Street, Horslydown Southwark, having by death lost their pastor, Mr. Benjamin Stinton (son-in-law of the famous Benjamin Keach), invited Mr. Gill to come up to London and preach to them. The result of this visit was, his becoming their Pastor; and he was ordained to the pastoral office over them, March 22, 1720. With this church he remained to the close of his ministerial labours, a period of upwards of fifty-one years. In the year 1729, he commenced a Wednesday evening lecture, in Great Eastcheap, which he continued for more than twenty-six years, declining it in 1756. His farewell sermon was from Acts 26:22, Having obtained help of God, I continue to this day, &c. He told his audience, \u201cI have nothing to complain of, but I find my natural strength will not admit me to preach so frequently, being now in the fortieth year of my ministry, so that it is time for me to have done with extra service. But a principal reason is, that I may have a little more time to attend to, and finish an arduous work upon my hands; and I have no other way of easing myself, but by dropping this lecture.\u201d This \u201carduous work\u201d was none other than his \u201cExposition of the Bible,\u201d which was first published in nine volumes folio; to which he afterwards added his \u201cBody of Divinity,\u201d in three volumes quarto; with others of his writings. All these amazingly laborious and voluminous works, were written out by his own hand, and were also corrected and revised by him as they came from the printer, no one reading the proof sheets but himself. In the year 1770 (the year before his death) he wrote in the margin of a sheet of letter-press, \u201cthe last of more than ten thousand!\u201d<\/p>\n

In 1748 Mr. Gill was presented with the diploma of D.D., by the University of Aberdeen. Upon being complimented by his friends, on the honour conferred upon him, the good man quaintly replied, \u201cI neither sought it, nor thought it, nor bought it.\u201d A new meeting house, having been erected for his church and congregation in Carter Lane, Tooley Street; Dr. Gill opened it October 9th, 1757, preaching from Exod. 20:24, \u201cIn all places where I record my name, &c.\u201d Upon this occasion, in his sermon, the Dr. said, \u201cWe enter upon this new place of worship, by recording the name of the Lord therein; namely, by preaching the doctrines of the grace of God; of free and full salvation alone, by Jesus Christ; and by the administration of gospel ordinances, as they have been delivered to us. What doctrines may be taught in this place, after I am gone, is not for me to know; but, as for my own part, I am at a point; I am determined, and have been long ago, what to make the subject of my ministry. It is now upwards of forty years since I entered into the work, and the first sermon I ever preached was from those words of the apostle, I determined, &c. (1 Cor. 2:2.) Through the grace of God, I have been enabled, in some good measure, to abide by the same resolution hitherto; and I hope, by Divine assistance, I ever shall, as long as I am in this tabernacle, and engaged in this solemn work. I am not afraid of the reproaches of men; I have been inured to these, from my youth upwards; none of these things move me.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the commencement of his spiritual campaign, he buckled on his Armour, and never unloosed it but to put on his Shroud. \u201cSo far as the doctrines of the gospel are concerned, Gill never besieged an error which he did not force from its Strong-holds; nor ever encountered an adversary to truth, whom he did not baffle and subdue. His Doctrinal and Practical Writings will live, and be admired, and be a standing blessing to posterity, when their opposers are forgotten, or only remembered by the refutations he has given them. While true religion and sound learning, have a single friend remaining in the British Empire, the works and name of Gill will be precious and revered.\u201d\u2014Toplady.<\/p>\n

With holy calmness, and heavenly peace of mind, this great man of God placidly fell asleep. His last words were\u2014\u201cO my Father, my Father!\u201d<\/p>\n

If, from good works could rise our last relief.<\/p>\n

Who more could boast than this renowned chief?<\/p>\n

But these afforded not the least delight;<\/p>\n

They vanish\u2019d, like a vapour, out of sight.<\/p>\n

Not on his character, which stood renowned.<\/p>\n

Not on his labours, which Jehovah crown\u2019d.<\/p>\n

He plac\u2019d the least dependence;\u2014from his soul<\/p>\n

He did most steadily renounce the whole:<\/p>\n

And for salvation, fix\u2019d on the rich blood<\/p>\n

And righteousness of his incarnate God!<\/p>\n

There were his hopes, his rest, his joy, his crown.<\/p>\n

And, at His feet, he laid his honours down.<\/p>\n

Clear was his prospect of the promised land,<\/p>\n

Where in full view he saw his Saviour stand;<\/p>\n

He on his everlasting love relied.<\/p>\n

Sunk in his arms, and in full glory died.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

——————————-
\n[1] The reader is encouraged to visit Bunhill Fields, a nonconformist cemetery located at 38 City Road, London, England.<\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

John Gill was born at Kettering, in Northamptonshire, Nov. 23,1697. His mind was seriously impressed with divine things when he was about twelve years of age. Mr. Wallis, of Kettering, having preached a sermon from Gen. 3:9, \u201cAnd the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him where art thou?\u201d These interrogations sounded in his ears, and pierced his very soul. \u201cSinner, where art thou? What a wretched condition art thou in! What will be thy state eternally? Art thou able to endure everlasting burnings?\u201d He now began to see and feel, the depravity of his nature, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and his need of salvation by Christ. The Lord was soon graciously pleased to reveal his Son in him, and afford him joy and peace in believing. He joined the Baptist Church, at Kettering, Nov. 4, 1716, being then nineteen years of age. The same evening, at a meeting for prayer, he read and expounded the 53rd chapter of Isaiah. The next Lord\u2019s Day evening he delivered a discourse from 1 Cor. 2:2, \u201cFor I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.\u201d This was his first sermon; and the Lord enabled him to abide by his determination even to the end, so that \u201cChrist and him crucified,\u201d was his constant theme from first to last. Soon after this, he removed to Higham Ferrers, and preached occasionally in the adjacent villages. Early in the year 1719, the Baptist Church meeting, at Fair Street, Horslydown Southwark, having by death lost their pastor, Mr. Benjamin Stinton (son-in-law of the famous Benjamin Keach), invited Mr. Gill to come up to London and preach to them. The result of this visit was, his becoming their Pastor; and he was ordained to the pastoral office over them, March 22, 1720. With this church he remained to the close of his ministerial labours, a period of upwards of fifty-one years. In the year 1729, he commenced a Wednesday evening lecture, in Great Eastcheap, which he continued for more than twenty-six years, declining it in 1756. His farewell sermon was from Acts 26:22, Having obtained help of God, I continue to this day, &c. He told his audience, \u201cI have nothing to complain of, but I find my natural strength will not admit me to preach so frequently, being now in the fortieth year of my ministry, so that it is time for me to have done with extra service. But a principal reason is, that I may have a little more time to attend to, and finish an arduous work upon my hands; and I have no other way of easing myself, but by dropping this lecture.\u201d This \u201carduous work\u201d was none other than his \u201cExposition of the Bible,\u201d which was first published in nine volumes folio; to which he afterwards added his \u201cBody of Divinity,\u201d in three volumes quarto; with others of his writings. All these amazingly laborious and voluminous works, were written out by his own hand, and were also corrected and revised by him as they came from the printer, no one reading the proof sheets but himself. In the year 1770 (the year before his death) he wrote in the margin of a sheet of letter-press, \u201cthe last of more than ten thousand!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":18307,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1160],"tags":[1232,1226],"class_list":["post-18306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-john-gill","tag-baptist-history","tag-gospel-preachers"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18306","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18306"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18306\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18308,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18306\/revisions\/18308"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18307"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18306"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.baptists.net\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}