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| Dr. John Gill, a particular Baptist theologian highly respected by his Calvinistic contemporaries of different denominations. |
June
08, 2022.
Wednesday midweek meeting notes
Whetting
the Appetite (1)
Surveying John Gill’s “A Body of Divinity– Doctrinal & Practical”
a.
A briefest glimpse of his life
John
Gill was born November 23, 1697, in Kettering, Northamptonshire. In his youth,
he attended Kettering Grammar School, mastering the Latin classics and learning
Greek by age eleven. The young scholar continued self-study in everything from
logic to Hebrew. His love for Hebrew would follow Gill throughout his life.
At
the age of about twelve, Gill heard a sermon from his pastor, William Wallis,
on the text, "And the Lord called unto Adam, and said unto him, where art
thou?" (Genesis 3:9). The message stayed with Gill and eventually led to
his conversion. It was not until seven years later that young John made a
public profession when he was almost nineteen years of age.
His
pastoral ministry:
His
first pastoral work was as an intern assisting John Davis at Higham Ferrers in
1718 at age twenty-one. He was subsequently called to pastor the Strict Baptist
church at Goat Yard Chapel, Horsleydown, Southwark in 1719. In 1757, his
congregation needed larger premises and moved to Carter Lane, St. Olave’s
Street, Southwark. His pastorate lasted 51 years. This Baptist Church would
later become the Metropolitan Tabernacle pastored by Charles Spurgeon. During
Gill's ministry, the church strongly supported the preaching of George
Whitefield at nearby Kennington Common.
His
written works:
In
1748, Gill was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity by the
University of Aberdeen. He was a profound scholar and a prolific author. His
most important works are:
•
The Doctrine of the Trinity Stated and Vindicated (London, 1731)
•
The Cause of God and Truth (4 parts, 1735–8), a retort to Daniel Whitby's Five
Points of Arminianism.
•
An Exposition of the New Testament (3 vols., 1746–8), which with his Exposition
of the Old Testament (6 vols., 1748–63) forms his magnum opus
• A
Dissertation on the Antiquity of the Hebrew Languages (1767)
• A
Body of Doctrinal Divinity (1767)
• A
Body of Practical Divinity (1770).
He
died on October 14, 1771, at the age of 74.
The
“Body of Doctrinal Divinity” has 7 Books.
Let’s
survey the amazing and awesome contents of Book 1.
Book
I. Of God, His Word, Names, Nature, Perfections, and Person.
Chapter
1. Of the Being of God
Chapter
2. Of the Holy Scriptures
Chapter
3. Of the Names of God
Chapter
4. Of the Nature of God
Chapter
5. Of The Attributes of God In General, and of his Immutability In Particular
Chapter
6. Of The Infinity Of God, His Omnipresence And Eternity
Chapter
7. Of The Life Of God
Chapter
8. Of The Omnipotence Of God
Chapter
9. Of The Omniscience Of God
Chapter
10. Of The Wisdom Of God
Chapter
11. Of The Will Of God, And The. Sovereignty Of It
Chapter
12. Of The Love Of God
Chapter
13. Of The Grace Of God
Chapter
14. Of The Mercy Of God
Chapter
15. Of The Longsuffering Of God
Chapter
16. Of The Goodness Of God
Chapter
17. Of The Anger And Wrath Of God
Chapter
18. Of The Hatred Of God
Chapter
19. Of The Joy Of God
Chapter
20. Of The Holiness Of God
Chapter
21. Of The Justice Or Righteousness Of God
Chapter
22. Of The Veracity Of God
Chapter
23. Of The Faithfulness Of God
Chapter
24. Of The Sufficiency And Perfection Of God
Chapter
25. Of The Blessedness Of God
Chapter
26. Of The Unity Of God
Chapter
27. Of A Plurality In The Godhead; Or, A Trinity Of Persons In The Unity Of The
Divine Essence
Chapter
28. Of The Personal Relations; Or, Relative Properties Which Distinguish The
Three Divine Persons In The Deity
Chapter
29. Of The Distinct Personality, And Deity Of The Father
Chapter
30. Of The Distinct Personality, And Deity Of The Son
Chapter
31. Of The Distinct Personality, And Deity Of The Holy Spirit.
