defamatory manner, and which carried its own confutation with it. Cogan himself, it seems, was afterwards afhamed of it, and repented of his having written it. Mr Maurice fent feveral of his pamphlets into North America; and the Baptifts there, hearing of Mr GILL's anfwer to them, wrote for fome of them and accordingly the remainder of the impreffion were fent over, at the expence of the Baptift-fund; which is one reafon of thefe tracts being fo rarely to be met with. On account of this controverfy, Mr GILL received, from Tilbury-fort in Effex, a very fpirited Letter, without a name, animating him to continue in it, and not be intimidated by his puny adverfary; concluding with thefe lines: STENNETT at first his furious foe did meet, } In the year 1727. Mr GILL finifhed his Expofition of the Song of Solomon: when the church, as well as many others of his hearers, to whom he had delivered it, moft earnestly preffed him to make it public: with this he, at length, complied; though with great reluctance. What, however, chiefly induced him to compliance, was, a defire of contributing what he could, to vindicate the authority and credit of this part of the facred writings; which has not only been ridiculed by Deifts, but called in queftion by fome who have pretended to be friends to divine revelation. The year before he entered upon this Expofition, a pamphlet was published by Mr Whiston, called, "A fupplement to Mr WHISTON's late Effay towards reftoring the true text of the Old Teftament," 8°. 1723. in which, he endeavours to difcredit the authority of the book of Solomon's Song, and to prove it to be a fpurious book, and not fit to ftand in the canon of fcripture. His objections and arguments against the authority of it, are anfwered by Mr GILL, in his Introduction to this Expofition; or rather in his Expofition of the first verse of the book, which contains the title of it. Whether Mr Whiston ever faw this work, is not certain; it feems as if he had not, by a remarkable and very ftrange paffage in the Memoirs of his own life and writings, published by himself; Part II. p. 575, which fhows his obftinate and inveterate oppofition to this facred book, to the laft: his words are thefe. "About August this year (1748) "I was informed of one Dr GILL, a particular or Calvinist Baptist, of whose "fkill "skill in the Oriental languages I had heard a great character: fo I had a mind "to hear him preach: but being informed that he had written a folio book on "the Canticles, I declined to go to hear him." A very wife reafon indeed! The first edition of Mr GILL'S Expofition of the Song of Solomon was published in 1728. with a tranflation of the Chaldee paraphrafe, or Targum of that book, and with notes upon that. In 1751 a new edition of it was published, in quarto, more correct, and with fome additions. His worthy, pious, learned, and ingenious friend, the Rev. Mr James Hervey (in his Theron and Aspasio, vol. III. p. 145. edit. 5.) was pleased to give this high encomium of it; "it has "fuch a copious vein of fanctified invention running through it, and is interspersed with such a variety of delicate and brilliant images, as cannot but highly entertain a curious mind; which presents us alfo, with fuch rich and "charming displays of the glory of Chrift's perfon, the freeness of his grace to "finners, and the tenderness of his love to the church, as cannot but adminifter "the most exquifite delight to the believing foul. Confidered in both these "views, I think the work resembles the paradifaical garden defcribed by "MILTON, in which, 66 Bloffoms and fruits at once of golden bue Appear'd, with gay enamel'd colours mix'd." This Expofition, when first published, served very much to make Mr GILL known, and to recommend him to the esteem of fpiritual perfons, and the true lovers of Jefus Chrift; and, perhaps, no work he ever published has been more ufeful to private chriftians and families, than this has been. Dr Owen, "on the perfon of Chrift," chap. XII. fays, "Bleffed is he who understands the fayings of that book (the Canticles) and hath the experience of them in his heart." A third edition of the Expofition was published 1767, with many additions. In the year 1728, he also published a treatise concerning the prophecies of the Old Testament refpecting the Meffiah. The occafion of which was this: in 1724, a book was published, called, A difcourfe of the grounds of the Christian Religion, &c. well known to be written by Anthony Collins Efq; a Deiftical writer. Many anfwers were written to one part or other of this book: to which the author replied, in another book, called, The Scheme of literal Prophecy confidered, &c. published in 1727, which was chiefly pointed at Dr Edward Chandler, Bishop of Durham, who had written against the former: it was to this latter book, chiefly, Mr GILL made answer, and to which he was led by the following incident: A certain Gentleman afferted in converfation, that no Calvinist could write in this controversy to any advantage. What his reason was, for fo faying, or whether any was affigned by him, is not remembered. Some of Mr GILL's friends being prefent, thought of Him; and took an opportunity of moving it to him, VOL. I. and b and importuned him to engage in this controverfy. Upon which he preached a fet of fermons on the prophecies relating to the Meffiah, in a regular order, fuited to the hiftory of the life of Jefus; and then made extracts out of them, which he published under the title of "The Prophecies of the Old Testament, "refpecting the Meffiah, confidered and proved to be literally fulfilled in Jefus ;" in anfwer to the above book. This work of his met with the approbation of fome men of learning and judgment, and even of the very person above mentioned, whofe affertion was the occafion of it. A lift and catalogue of the various pieces published during this controversy, was collected by that moft indefatigable Inquirer after books, the learned Fabritius, of Hamburg, in his Salutaris Lux Evangelii, &c. c. 9. p. 173, &c. Hamburg, 1731. The ministry of Mr GILL being acceptable not only to his own people, but likewife to many in other churches, and of other denominations; fome gentlemen moved among themfelves to fet up a lecture on fome day in the week, that they might have the opportunity of hearing him. Accordingly, several met together, and forming themfelves into a fociety, agreed to have a lecture on Wednesday-evenings, and fet on foot a fubfcription to 'fupport it. Upon their invitation, Mr GILL undertook that lectureship, and continued in it with great. conftancy, applause, and usefulness. It was fet up in the year 1729, and he continued preaching it (very rarely miffing) until 1756, near twenty seven years: when he gave it up, by reafon of age and multiplicity of work upon his hands; and preached a farewel fermon to the Society, on Acts xxvi. 22, 23. which was published that year. This lecture was productive of many of his printed works; not only of single annual fermons on various fubjects, but of whole treatises: as on the Trinity, and Juftification, the cause of God and Truth, and of feveral of his Commentaries on fome of the books, both of the Old and of the New Teftament, of all which more hereafter. In 1730, a fett of gentlemen, chiefly of the Independent denomination, thought fit to fet up a temporary lecture for the winter and fpring feafons following; and chose nine minifters to preach in it, on fome of the most important doctrines of christianity each having his fubject allotted to him. The ministers were, Mr Robert Bragge, Mr Thomas Bradbury, Mr John Hurrion, Mr Thomas Hall, Mr Peter Goodwin, Mr John Sladen, Mr Abraham Taylor, Mr Samuel Wilson, and Mr John Gill. Thefe accepted of the invitation given them, and preached two fermons each, on the subject refpectively affigned them: and when they had finished the course of them, the gentlemen defired the fermons might be printed; which was accordingly done, in two volumes 8vo, in 1732. Mr Gill's fubject fubject was the Refurrection of the Dead. His two fermons upon it have fince been printed separately. An unpleafing incident happened on the printing the above volumes of fermons. Mr Taylor, Mr Gill, and another or two of the lecturers, agreed to read their fermons in private concert with each other, before they were printed; that they might have one another's friendly affiftance, in the correction and improvement of them, as might feem neceffary. Now Mr GILL had obferved some paffages in Mr Taylor's Sermons, when delivered from the pulpit, which he thought injurious to truth, and calculated to offend many worthy perfons. He therefore determined, when thofe fermons fhould be read at this private and friendly meeting, to have pointed out, in the kindeft and most respectful manner, such paffages as he wifhed to fee foftened or expunged; propofing to give his reafons: but when the fermons were read, thefe paffages did not appear, to the great pleasure and fatisfaction of Mr GILL; who fuppofed that Mr Taylor had seen reason in his own mind to ftrike them out. But when the volumes were published, these paffages ftood, to the great furprife of Mr GILL, and, as he thought, with additional keennefs and feverity. This obliged him to fend Mr Taylor a printed letter on the fubject of God's everlasting love, eternal union, and fome other things which Mr Taylor had reproached with great vehemence: having now no other way of doing juftice to truth, and vindicating the faithful preachers of it. This letter was written with great respect, temper and candour; without any undue heat, or unbecoming reflections. Nevertheless, this, together with a treatise on juftification, which Mr GILL had published a little before, put fome intereft ed perfons on raifing an hideous cry of Antinomianism against him. The treatife on Juftification is the fubftance of fome fermons, preached at his Evening-lecture, and which, by the fociety that fupported it, was defired to be printed. The only thing in it objected to when published, was what is faid concerning the date of juftification: and which yet was faid in great agreement with fome of the best and most learned divines, whofe teftimonies were produced by Mr GILL in favour of his fentiments. But all this could not protect him from the clamour raised against him, by fuch as did not wish well to him and his miniftry. No answer, however, was given to either of these tracts, or to the arguments in them; but a continued torrent of din and noise flowed from fome pulpits, for a long time. Six years after this, Mr Taylor having obtained a degree of Doctor in Divinity, and got himself at the head of an Academy, became ftill more affuming, imperious and infolent. Continuing to bear Mr GILL a grudge for what was paft; he published what he called An Addrefs to young Students: in which he cautioned them to avoid some things as leading to Antinomianifm. This performance had several b 2 feveral very acrimonious flings at fome good men, and their writings; particuJarly, at Mr GILL, and an expreffion of his concerning good works, which he reprefented in the worst light he could, and treated with the most reviling language that could well be made ufe of: This obliged Mr GILL to write a small treatise concerning The Neceffity of good works to Salvation: in which having explained, ftated, and defended his fenfe of that matter; at the close of all, being warmed into a quick fenfibility of the haughty and infulting language ufed by his infolent and overbearing adversary, fome things were forced and drawn from him, in self-vindication, which he afterwards could have wished had not dropped from his pen. In 1731, Mr GILL published a Treatife on the Doctrine of the TRINITY, which was the fubftance of feveral difcourfes delivered on that fubject at the Wednesday Evening Lecture, and published at the request of the Society: the occafion of which was, the progrefs of Sabellianifm among fome of the Baptist churches. In particular, one Mr Davis, a Physician, and a Baptift member, wrote a treatise called The great Concern of Jew and Gentile; with fome other little pamphlets, which had a tendency this way; and which, though very trifling things, having scarce any fhew of argument and reasoning in them, yet it feemed expedient they should be taken notice of in the course of these Sermons on the Trinity : the Gentleman being a man of a good moral character, and of a soft, infinuating behaviour: his profeffion alfo introduced him into feveral families, where he might have the opportunity of inculcating and fpreading his notions. A fociety of young men, who kept up an Exercise of Prayer, on Lord's-day Mornings, at Mr GILL's meeting-house at Horfly-down, defired him to preach a Sermon to them December 25, 1732, which he did, on the fubject of Prayer: and, in the year following, on the fame day of the month, he preached another, to the fame fociety, on finging of Pfalms, from 1 Cor. xiv. 15. which were fucceffively printed at their request. Both thefe Sermons were, afterwards, reprinted together. That upon Singing, fome years after the first publication of it, fell into the hands of Mr Solomon Lowe, a learned and celebrated Grammarian of Hammersmith: who wrote Mr GILL a Letter upon it, dated Sept. 1747, in which he informs him, "he took pleasure, at his vacant hours, to read every thing that is useful, in order to extract the quinteffence of its flowers for the use of a Supplement to Chambers's Cyclopædia; to the carrying on of which work, he was nominated, to the proprietors, as the propereft perfon, by Mr Chambers himself, a little before his death, and had the offer of it, but declined it, because of his ftated business. However, having a great regard to that work, Mr Lowe was willing to help it forward to the best of his power: and therefore continued to digeft whatever offered to that purpose. Meeting with the above difcourfe on Singing, he extracted from That for the article of Pfalmody; and was |