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Doctrinal Divinity
Having undertaken to write a System of Theology, or a Body of Doctrinal Divinity; and Theology being nothing else than a speaking of God, or a discoursing concerning him; his nature, names, perfections, and persons; his purposes, providences, ways, works, and I shall begin with the Being of God, and the proof and evidence of it; which is the foundation of all religion; for if there is no God, religion is a vain thing; and it matters not neither what we believe, nor what we do; since there is no superior Being to whom we are accountable for either faith or practice. Some, because the being of God is a first principle,
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First published October 8, 2010
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About the author
John Gill
688 books27 followersJohn Gill (1697-1771) born at Kettering, Northamptonshire, was an English Baptist, a Bible scholar, and a staunch Calvinist. Gill received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Aberdeen in 1748. He was a profound scholar and a voluminous author.
His first pastoral work was as an intern at age 21. He became pastor at the Strict Baptist church at Goat Yard Chapel, 1719, his pastorate lasting 51 years. In 1757 his congregation needed larger premises and moved to a Carter Lane, St. Olave’s Street, Southwark. This Baptist church was once pastored by Benjamin Keach and would later become the New Park Street Chapel and then the Metropolitan Tabernacle pastored by Charles Spurgeon.
http://www.theopedia.com/John_Gill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gil...
His first pastoral work was as an intern at age 21. He became pastor at the Strict Baptist church at Goat Yard Chapel, 1719, his pastorate lasting 51 years. In 1757 his congregation needed larger premises and moved to a Carter Lane, St. Olave’s Street, Southwark. This Baptist church was once pastored by Benjamin Keach and would later become the New Park Street Chapel and then the Metropolitan Tabernacle pastored by Charles Spurgeon.
http://www.theopedia.com/John_Gill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gil...
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 1, 2025
After a year and a half, I made it. Gill is so relevant for modern Baptists. Here you have a scholastic style systematic theology full (I mean full!) of Scripture and quotes from the Fathers, Medieval theologians, and philosophers. He retrieves Classical Trinitarianism clearly.
Gill was the first Baptist to write an exhaustive systematic theology and a verse-by-verse commentary on the Bible. You can find both his Doctrinal Divinity and Practical Divinity for free for download at CCEL.org. Every Christian (especially Baptists) should have it as a reference.
Favorite quotes:
“though indeed no man, be he ever so vile, is out of the reach of powerful and efficacious grace; and therefore it cannot be absolutely said that he is rejected of God" (2.2.2b)
On God's Simplicity: “In his nature and essence, being simple and devoid of all composition, as has been proved: the more simple and free from mixture and composition anything is, the less subject to change" (5.1).
“Should it be said, to what purpose then is prayer? it is answered, this is the way and means God has
appointed, for the communication of the blessings of his goodness to his people..." (5.4).
“God never hates his elect in any sense; they are always loved by him; to which hatred is opposite: he may be angry with them, and chastise them for their sins; yea, he may, as he says, and as they apprehend, in a little wrath hide his 'face' from them; but he never hates them; though he hates their
sins, and shows his resentment at them, he still loves them freely; renews, and raises them up by repentance, when fallen into sin, and manifests and applies his
pardoning grace to them, and never bears any hatred to their persons" (18.2).
Gill was the first Baptist to write an exhaustive systematic theology and a verse-by-verse commentary on the Bible. You can find both his Doctrinal Divinity and Practical Divinity for free for download at CCEL.org. Every Christian (especially Baptists) should have it as a reference.
Favorite quotes:
“though indeed no man, be he ever so vile, is out of the reach of powerful and efficacious grace; and therefore it cannot be absolutely said that he is rejected of God" (2.2.2b)
On God's Simplicity: “In his nature and essence, being simple and devoid of all composition, as has been proved: the more simple and free from mixture and composition anything is, the less subject to change" (5.1).
“Should it be said, to what purpose then is prayer? it is answered, this is the way and means God has
appointed, for the communication of the blessings of his goodness to his people..." (5.4).
“God never hates his elect in any sense; they are always loved by him; to which hatred is opposite: he may be angry with them, and chastise them for their sins; yea, he may, as he says, and as they apprehend, in a little wrath hide his 'face' from them; but he never hates them; though he hates their
sins, and shows his resentment at them, he still loves them freely; renews, and raises them up by repentance, when fallen into sin, and manifests and applies his
pardoning grace to them, and never bears any hatred to their persons" (18.2).
Displaying 1 of 1 review