John Gill's Commentaries

Jason Saling

John Gills commentaries would be a great add-on purchase for Logos. Gill's commentary is very exhaustive!

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DominicM

http://community.logos.com/forums/p/5085/46636.aspx

currentish thread for this, you are not alone in your wishes

Jason Saling

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/53809#Comment_53809

Any new or renewed interest in getting John Gill's commentaries in Logos format?

JOHN GILL (1697–1771)

English Baptist theologian

Dr. John Gill stands as one of the most important and yet misunderstood of our Baptist forefathers. His spirituality and intellect were only matched by the intensity with which others loved him or reviled him. Tom Nettles says of Gill, "He has doubtless been judged more harshly and even maliciously than any man of comparable repute in Baptist history." How could one man demand such respect and at the same time engender such hard feelings?

Before that question can be answered we must consider Gill’s heritage and life. Mr. Edward Gill, John’s father, first became a member of a dissenting congregation in Kettering consisting then of Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists. After a time the Baptists of the congregation were led by William Wallace to form a Particular Baptist church. It was into this strong heritage of evangelical Christianity that John Gill was born on November 23, 1697. Like most children of dissenters, John was sent to the grammar school in the town. His adeptness at learning soon set him apart from the other children. John continued his education with merit until he was eleven, mastering the Latin classics and learning Greek. At that time, due to doctrinal and practical differences, the dissenting parents of Gill's town withdrew their children from the local school. Those who could afford it sent their children off to schools elsewhere. Unfortunately, Gill's parents could not. In spite of this hindrance, the young scholar continued to study everything from logic to Hebrew.

His love for Hebrew would follow Gill throughout his life. When Mr. Gill settled in London in 1719, he became intimately acquainted with Mr. John Skepp. He was a self-taught Hebrew scholar with quite a large library of Hebrew books and Rabbinical writings. When Skepp died a few years later, Gill purchased most of his Hebrew and Rabbinical books. The young scholar recognized before many others that the New Testament was written by men who were Jews. He saw that in understanding the Hebrew mind set one could better understand the gospels. Gill soon became a Hebrew scholar without equal in his day. William Cathcart said: "It is within bounds to say that no man in the eighteenth century was so well versed in the literature and customs of the ancient Jews as John Gill. He has sometimes been called the Doctor John Lightfoot of the Baptists."

Around the time he was 12, 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). Those words of God searching for a sinners heart 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 first pastoral work was as an intern in the village of Higham Ferrers. There he met and married Elizabeth Megus in 1718. As was still quite common in their day, several of their children died in infancy and another died at the age of thirteen. However, God smiled on John and Elizabeth and blessed them with two surviving children. Elizabeth would be his most trusted friend and love for 46 years of marriage.

Not long after marrying, the Gills went to their first place of ministry. As a matter of fact, the Horsleydown church in London would prove to be the only church in which John Gill ministered. On March 22, 1720 following another great Baptist, Benjamin Keech, Gill began his fruitful pastorate at Horesleydown. His pastorate lasted 51 years, passing on a great legacy to another Baptist who would follow him at the church a few years later, Charles Spurgeon.

From the beginning, Gill's preaching was both expositional and practical. He set the standard for the modern day practice of preaching through the Bible. At the age of 26 he began a series on the Song of Solomon which lasted 122 sermons. This would be his practice throughout his ministry. Like the Puritans, Gill saw preaching as a surgery of the soul in which the pastor was the physician and the church members were the patients. There was no room in his preaching for fluff. Christian living was serious business which required serious instruction. We could learn much in our day from this. Pastors are not preparing children to go to the playground but rather they are outfitting soldiers of Christ to head off into war.

One can not begin to understand a man like Gill without first comparing the general attitude of the modern church and that of men like Gill in his day. In our day it has become quite fashionable to believe as little as possible. Phrases like "we love Jesus in our church, not doctrine" are common. It is now seen as judgmental to correct anyone for error. H. Richard Niebuhr once described the modern gospel as consisting of a "God without wrath bringing people without sin into a kingdom without judgment through a Christ without a cross." As David Wells has so aptly entitled his book, in our day there is No Place for Truth.

The time of John Gill was far different. Search for knowledge was just reaching its full height after the world had crawled out of the Dark and Middle ages. everyone was writing and Gill was no exception. Early in his pastorate he published his first and perhaps his most important book. Between 1735 and 1738 The Cause of God and Truth appeared from Gill’s pen and was a masterpiece in presenting the truth of God’s sovereignty and man’s depravity. Augustus Toplady was so moved by this work that he later called Gill the greatest defender of the doctrines of grace since Augustine.

Many more works followed in the years to come. In 1752, Gill published his pamphlet onThe Doctrine of the Saints' Final Perseverance, in answer to one called Serious Thoughts upon the Perseverance of the Saints; written by Mr. John Wesley. In 1769, he published A Body of Doctrinal Divinity in two volumes. This work contained the substance of what he delivered from the pulpit to the people under his care through the space of more than five years. There are but few, if any, theological publications in the English language of more deserved repute than these 1091 pages. Here is the Doctor's whole creed. Here his very heart appears; while he states, maintains, and defends, the Truth as it is in Jesus. Body of Divinity was followed in 1770 by A Body of Practical Divinity which covered such subjects as church membership, baptism, and the Lord's Supper.

There is a price to pay for notoriety. One can not be published as widely as was Gill and not escape criticism. As noted earlier, Tom Nettles says of Gill, "He has doubtless been judged more harshly and even maliciously than any man of comparable repute in Baptist history." Many have called John Gill a hyper-Calvinist who denied the need to preach the gospel to the lost. I will not seek to answer that question in this forum. Read Tom NettlesBy His Grace and For His Glory, pages 73-107, for a thorough and balanced discussion of this issue.

The truth is that Gill foresaw the disastrous effects of Arminianism and Unitarianism and sought to protect God's people from them. Timothy George notes: "If Gill erred in overstressing God's initiative in salvation, it was because he believed the foundational fact was being undermined by the inroads of deism, rationalism, and the misdirected message of Arminianism." In spite of any criticisms which may justly or unjustly be applied to Dr. Gill, he was a staunch defender of the orthodox faith. He wrote extensively against those who denied the Trinity and rightly saw the growing influence and danger of Unitarianism. The historian Carl L. Becker said that Gill lived in a time when "God was on trial." On every side the Enlightenment was devaluing God and elevating man. To read Gill without recognizing the dangers he saw facing evangelical Christianity is a sad mistake and a disservice to that great man of God.

In the years after Dr. Gill’s death there arose a great controversy between the followers of Gill and the followers of Andrew Fuller. Neither man would have endorsed such. There is no doubt that Fuller called Baptists to a more balanced presentation of the doctrines of Grace. But Gill also foresaw the disastrous slide of General (Arminian) Baptists into denials of the Trinity and of gospel redemption. Did Gill fail to preach the gospel to sinners as some have asserted? Why not from his own mouth and heart:

"Souls sensible to sin and danger, and who are crying out, What shall we do to be saved? you are to observe, and point out Christ the tree to live to them; and say, as some of the cherubs did to one in such circumstances, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, Acts 16:31. Your work is to lead men, under a sense of sin and guilt, to the blood of Christ, shed for many for the remission of sin, and this name you are to preach the forgiveness to them."

All things considered it seems Timothy George is right when he points out that much of the problem with Gill came from his followers that carried his teachings to extremes which he himself never advocated. Is this not the case in all generations. Beza overstated Calvin as Finney overstated Wesley. Like Paul, I believe Gill would have said, "some of you are of Gill, some of Fuller, some of Christ." Better to learn from his strengths than to pick apart his perceived weaknesses!

After pastoring the same church for 51 years, John Gill left this earth on October 14, 1771, just five years before the American Revolution. He had ministered during a rich time of history. His contemporaries were Wesley and Whitefield. It is fitting that Gill’s remains were buried with such great dissenters as John Owen and John Bunyan. One member of Gill’s church wrote a hymn about Gill at his death. The last verse says:

Zion may mourn, for grief becomes her well.
To lose the man whose Heaven instructed pen
Taught knowledge clearly, while before him fell
Gigantic errors of deluded men.

To say that Dr. Gill influenced evangelical Christians in general and Baptists in particular is like saying the sun influences the daytime. He was the first Baptist to write a complete systematic theology and the first to write a verse-by-verse commentary of the entire Bible. Gill wrote so much that he was known as Dr. Voluminous. Tom Nettles writes. "His loss was felt keenly by the whole denomination of Baptists, a group still small and despised ... His outstanding scholarship, zeal for truth and pious polemics had greatly encouraged Baptists ..."

Dr. Gill’s life and work stand as a warning to the modern church. Ignore doctrine and truth and you will soon find yourself an empty shell with no life inside. Gill needed the correction of Fuller. There is no doubt that his followers so emphasized God’s sovereignty that they forsook evangelism and missions. Spurgeon rightly saw that as a travesty to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At the same time, Gill’s powerful presentation of the God with Whom we have to do is needed in every generation.

Baptist Page Articles are offered as a service to the readers of The Baptist Page. You are given permission to reprint this in any form available. We only ask that this paragraph remain with the article.

Dan

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/121022#Comment_121022

Any new or renewed interest in getting John Gill's commentaries in Logos format?

I have them in an old copy of the Online Bible. They are great and I'd love to have them in Logos.

Shawn Drewett

OH! how I would love to have these in Logos format! So detailed, so orthodox!

Robert Pavich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/121033#Comment_121033

No kidding...I'd LOVE to have Gill in logos....

Aaron Sauer

Yes!

Ted Hans

[Y]

DHG

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/121098#Comment_121098

[Y]

Ron

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/121106#Comment_121106

Yes please!

Andy

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/121412#Comment_121412

[Y]

Shawn Drewett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/121419#Comment_121419

[Y][Y]

Shawn Drewett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/125787#Comment_125787

Once again I had to open up L3 to get at John Gill's Commentaries this morning. He is unique in that he deals with vitually every phrase of the entire Bible.

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/131102#Comment_131102

I just returned from Atlanta and the Logos rep there, Neil Pridgen, said to e-mail billatlogosdotcom and kenatlogosdotcom about it, so start e-mailing. I've been asking Logos about his works for years and have never gotten one reply. When they put Spurgeon set by Ages in Logos format I immediately started asking if the Gill collection was next. It is available for PBB in Logos 3 along with a lot of other great works at: http://www.stilltruth.com/page/libronix_pbb_files . Christ Alone Exalted by Crisp and published by Gill is now on pre-pub: http://www.logos.com/products/prepub/details/6441 Zanchius is also now on pre-pub: .http://www.logos.com/products/prepub/details/6457 . I love Gill, even though I don't always agree with him, and he outshines at least 99% of what is out there in my estimation. I want ALL of his works in Logos 4 format.

Robert Pavich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/131116#Comment_131116

After slogging through PDF versions of Gills commentaries again this week.. I have to say...

PLUEEZZZZEEE!!! Publish them in Logos format!!!

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/131128#Comment_131128

Just got this from Phil @ Logos!

Michael,

Gill
is coming very soon. Keep an eye on the Pre-Pub page.

Blessings, Phil

[U] no more!

Robert Pavich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/131280#Comment_131280

Gill
is coming very soon. Keep an eye on the Pre-Pub page.

Woo hoo!!

Shawn Drewett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/131286#Comment_131286

woo hoo is right!!

Sam McCloud

This has my vote.

Jason Saling

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/132535#Comment_132535

Great!

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/132539#Comment_132539

Phil, How soon is very soon? There have been probably 20 new pre-pubs since
your reply?

Thanks again! Michael Lyman

It’s next on the list for one of our Pre-Pub posters. It could be as soon as Monday.

It’ll be worth the wait. J

Phil

Robert Pavich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/135079#Comment_135079

It could be as soon as Monday. It’ll be worth the wait. J Phil

Whoo Hoo!!

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/135091#Comment_135091

The works of Toplady are now on pre-pub! Great collection, he was a good friend of Gill and often attended his church although he was Anglican and was not allowed to partake of communion at the Goat Yard. http://www.logos.com/products/prepub/details/6497

Robert Pavich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/135390#Comment_135390

Michael,

thanks for the heads-up on Toplady!

Peter Banks

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/121031#Comment_121031

If you have Logos version 3 John Gills writtings are available as PBBs. Along with Warfield, Pink, Murray, Baxter, Owens, Edwars and many more.

I can hardly wait for user created material can be integrated back into version 4.

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/135498#Comment_135498

It's here!!! Let's get it under development ASAP!!!

http://www.logos.com/products/prepub/details/6500

Robert Pavich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137266#Comment_137266

Order is placed!!!

DHG

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137270#Comment_137270

Mine too!

Jason Saling

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137287#Comment_137287

AWESOME! It's on Pre-Pub now! Many have been waiting for this for quite some time! Hopefully it goes into production quickly!

Brian Leathers

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137266#Comment_137266

Amen!!!![:D]

Andy

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137429#Comment_137429

Just placed my order!

Shawn Drewett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137454#Comment_137454

The big question for me is.........is it worth $200.00 as compared to the free PBB?

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137516#Comment_137516

Shawn, I think that's a great question. I am unaware of any information on what the new PBB program will be and how easy it will be to transfer books into that format. I've already ordered John Newton's works in pre-pub and I'm willing to pay $199.00 for this. I don't know where Logos comes up with their "retail prices" for these books though. On amazon you can get his commentary for about 250 and the Cause of God and Truth and the divinity for less than 100 combined. Another software company offers it for less than 30 and includes Tobias Crisp. Of course I already have that and am willing to pay for it from Logos myself. I wish I could trade a bunch of the 1700 books I already have for it, because I will use it a LOT more than I use many of them. You get what you pay for. I'm also glad that Logos is offering a pay version and I hope a lot more people are exposed to John Gill this way. I have begged for this for years ever since they put they offered the Spurgeon collection from the other company, but never got a response until I e-mailed Phil about a month ago.

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137549#Comment_137549

Post your comments about Gill on the Logos Facebook page as well: http://www.facebook.com/logos.bible.software?ref=ts

Shawn Drewett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137549#Comment_137549

You look at it just as I do. I LOVE John Gill's Commentaries and wish I could trade alot of mine too for this! I am thinking PBB must be a real headache for Logos. I mean how good should they make it? So good they will lose Pre-Pub orders? I think not. Probabley sad they ever allowed anyone to make available these great works on PBB. I have already placed my order but I reserve the right to cancel if budget doesn't allow.

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137677#Comment_137677

How do you all edit your profile so you have the "signature" at the end? Thanks.

Shawn Drewett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137677#Comment_137677

I was hoping some one would answer my question of 3 posts ago. ?

Jason Saling

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/138082#Comment_138082

I was hoping some one would answer my question of 3 posts ago. ?

Probably not worth $200, since you could even get it free. So you have to ask yourself if it is worth $200 for connivence's sake in Logos. They make less profit on books that royalties have to be paid, so they make up the profit by charging semi-high prices for public domain books. I've placed my order even though I don't think it's completely worth it, but I'll only have to buy it once and it still is cheaper than having it in print.

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/137516#Comment_137516

The big question for me is.........is it worth $200.00 as compared to the free PBB?

I will tread dangerous ground here and say "Yes,to you it will be worth the $200." And to Michael and me, and probably even Jason."

Here is why: If you really have a passion for something, it shows. I see that passion for Gill in your posts & Michael's. (Everybody knows Michael is going to get it. [:-*] ) It is like having the option of Gill in paperback or leather binding. The content is the same but you enjoy reading from the leather book more. With Logos the resource will merge nicely with the rest of your library and open up study options you will never see using the cheap version. I already had Spurgeon, Gill, Owens, and Calvin in PDF and a few other versions. I did not hesitate to get the Logos versions because of the enhanced usability. Once you have it you'll never think of the price as too high.

(Note to self, Call Dave Kaplan and order Works of John Owens, http://www.logos.com/products/details/3678 Hebrews is just not enough!)

Shawn Drewett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/138098#Comment_138098

thanks for the replies

Jason Saling

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/138155#Comment_138155

What happened to all of the interest there was for John Gill's Commentaries before they hit Pre-Pub? It seems like right when it hit Pre-Pub, the interest waned. Seems like everything I really want in Pre-Pub doesn't gather interest much. I guess I may be one of those "unusual Christians" that has "unusual choice of books."

http://www.logos.com/products/prepub/details/6500

Robert Pavich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/147100#Comment_147100

Jason,

I just happened to see this prepub again yesterday and wondered the same thing...I'd hate for this to become a "stalled-out-in-gathering-interest-land" sort of offering!

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/147133#Comment_147133

I think a lot of people are waiting to see what happens to the PBB program, since many similar books seem to be garnering about the same level of interest and are available for free in the Logos 3 format. The John Gill Collection in PDF is also available by another publisher for about 10% of the cost. Myself, I'm willing to pay for all of these books for the added functionality and because, IMHO, Logos has very little that compares with them so far. I am excited that the works of John Newton are now under development, but who knows how long before they are actually available.

http://www.cityonahillsgbc.org

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/147140#Comment_147140

Remember there is NOT a PBB version of his commentaries and many of these other works. If you are familiar with Gill you know there is no one like him. Logos NEEDS his works. IMO, this ought to have been already done considering all of the much lesser works already available and that are currently on pre-pub. I use Gill all of the time. He treats Christ and the Bible in a different way because He loves the grace of God and the Mediator of the Covenant, he is also one of the few commentators that believes that Jesus can never fail. Here's what is currently available in the PBB. Compare it with what is offered and you will see what a great set it is. Those of you who don't like the doctrine of election, etc. you'll find no better arguments for our position than Gill, except of course for the text itself. If you want to prove your point you need to read Gill and answer his arguments. He is a TRUE BAPTIST, like Spurgeon who came years later to the same church.

Shawn Drewett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/147657#Comment_147657

Michael Lyman said ........."Remember there is not a PBB version of his commentaries and many of these other works"

Am I missing something? I've had Gill in PBB for at least a couple of years in L3.

Michael Lyman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/148160#Comment_148160

His commentaries? If so where did you find them. I haven't seen them on stilltruth.com.

The following ~~three~~ titles are available in this install:

Enjoy!

JoeK