In the year 1757, a new Meeting-house was erected, by the church under his care, in Carter-lane, St Olave's-street, Southwark: which was opened O&. 9, in the fame year, when two Sermons were preached by him on Exod. xx. 24. and afterwards printed, intitled, Attendance in places of religious worship, where the divine Name is recorded, encouraged.

In 1761 the Doctor published propofals for printing the remainder of his Expofition of the Old Testament; beginning at Genefis and ending with Solomon's Song: the first Volume of which was published in the beginning of the year 1763; the Second, in the beginning of the year 1764; the Third, in the beginning of the year 1765; and the Fourth and laft, in the beginning of the year 1766.

In the year 1765, fome copies of Mr Clark's Defence of the divine right of Infant-Baptifm, being imported from America, and published here, occasioned the Doctor to reprint and republifh his Reply to it. Another treatise also being imported and reprinted here, about the fame time, called, A fair and rational vindication of the right of Infants to the Ordinance of Baptifm, being the substance of feveral difcourfes from As ii. 29. by David Bostwick, M. A. late minister of the Prefbyterian church in the city of New-York; the Doctor made fome ftrictures on that performance, which are published at the end of the Reply to Mr Clark.

A little after this, the Rev. Mr Carmichael, minifter of the gospel in Edinburgh, being convinced of the truth of believers' Baptifm by immersion, came to London to be baptized, and was baptized by the Doctor: at which time, a Sermon was preached from 1 John v. 3. which, a few days after, was reflected upon in one of the public news-papers. This obliged the Doctor, contrary to his inclination, to publish his Sermon, which he intitled, Baptism a divine commandment to be obferved: with fome marginal notes, vindicating it from the grofs abuses, mifrepresentations, and cavils of the letter-writer in the news-paper. This affair made a great stir; and many things appeared in the faid paper, for and against : until the writer of the news-paper himself put a stop to it, by refusing to pub lish any more letters on either fide.

The Doctor being called upon, in another news-paper, either to expunge, or explain, a paragraph in his Preface to his Reply to Mr Clark's Defence; he chofe the latter and published a tract, called, Infant-Baptifm a part and pillar of Popery; with a postscript, containing an answer to the Letters of Candidus, the other writer before mentioned. This tract gave great offence to fome Padobaptifts; but no reply was made to to it.

In 1767 the Doctor published a Differtation on the Antiquities of the Hebrew Language, Letters, Vowel-Points, and Accents: which was treated with candour and

ingenuity

D. ingenuity by the Critical Reviewers; who, though they could not agree with every thing in it, particularly concerning the authority of the Points, yet allowed the work was executed with great industry, fagacity, and learning: and, when they object any thing, give their reafons for it: upon which the Doctor, in fome loose papers, has made fome curious and learned remarks, especially the following: whereas he obferves, that gara, in Matt. v. 18. is no other than the Point Ghirek made Greek, they exprefs their wonder at it; and think he must mistake pn for p. But he obferves, the wonder will cease, when the power of the Hebrew Letters, of which Chirek confifts, is confidered: which obtains in other languages; especially in the Greek. So x is pronounced by п. So the City

הירק

, Church, or Karan, is, in the Septuagint (Gen. xi. 32.) called per and by Ptolemy, Herodian, and other writers, pe; and the Point Chirek itself is fometimes, in the Septuagint, used as ans, or an: as in Seon, Cedius, Jeffe, Jezabel: yea, the very name of it is Chirek with Jewish writers. Schindler Lexic. fol. 662. So then you have the first and principal fyllable in the word хор, and there is only p at the end of the word to be accounted for: and that and, in fome languages, are used promifcuously as in Bebek and Behab. Besides, in the Chaldee or Syro-Chaldean language, ufed in Chrift's time, and before; the fame word, which ends in xp, w, has the termination of ky, aa, or aia. Thus araka is read araa in the fame verfe, Jer. x. 11. and then, put all together, and you have the word nga orgia. Now as our Lord refers to the least letter (od) in the Hebrew language, and from which all the other letters are derived, as fome learned men have obferved, this being a part and branch of each of them; fo it need not be wondered, that he should refer to the least Point in that language, and from which all the reft come: and, indeed, though the Points are represented as very numerous, yet there is but one Point in the whole language; and that is Chirek [.] diverfified, or placed in a different pofition. Thus Patach is only Chirek diteted; Kametz is that in a cluster; Segol is three of them fet in a triangle; Tzere is two of them in a direct line; and Sheva is two more in a perpendicular one; and Kibbutz is three of them placed obliquely; and, when placed in the middle of Vau, or above that, or another letter, it is either an u or an o. And the like obfervations may be made on all the compound vowels. To derive this word from the Hebrew word p, which fignifies an born; as if our Lord referred to fome corniculated apices, pricks, or spikes upon the tops of fome letters, not in ufe in his time (as Capellus and others); is mere fiction and conceit. There is fuch a vein of ignorance, dullness, and ill-nature,

f It is much better to take xp for the Point Chirek itself. Dr Lightfoot thinks our Lord refers to the least Vowel or Accent, as well as to the least Letter: and Elias Hutter, in his Hebrew verfion, renders one tittle by one chirek: and some, in Dr Hammond on the place, understood it of Chirek.

runs through the whole of what the Monthly Reviewers fay, that the Doctor thought them too low for him to make any remarks upon. The very learned Profeffor of the Oriental languages, in the University of Edinburgh, Dr JAMES ROBERTSON, had another opinion of Dr GILL's performance: for, in a Dissertation on the antiquity of the Points, prefixed to his truly learned and useful Clavis Pentateuchi, Dr Robertson has these words: "Vir Doctiffimus JOANNES GILL, et qui in Rabbinicis fcriptis verfatiffimus effe videtur, in Differtatione "fuâ de punctorum vocalium antiquitate, fummâ cum induftriâ et doctrinâ, ne "veftigium quoddam maforetharum, ut pote punctorum vocalium auctorum, "in totâ hiftoriâ Judaicâ, a nato Chrifto ad annum 1037, addeffe affirmat, pro"batque."

In the fame year, Dr GILL collated the various paffages of the Old Testament, quoted in the Mifnah, in the Talmuds, both Jerufalem and Babylonian, and in the Rabboth; and extracted the variations in them, from the modern printed text; which he fent to Dr Kennicott, at Oxford, then collating the feveral Hebrew manuscripts of the Old Teftament to be met with in any of the libraries in Europe; and which Dr Kennicott thus acknowledged his receipt of, in his state of that collation, published in the year 1767: "I have been highly obliged by the "Reverend and Learned Dr GILL, who has extracted and fent me the variations "from the modern Bibles in the paffages quoted in the Talmuds, both of Jeru

falem and Babylon, and alfo in the Rabboth: which variations, in these ancient "books of the Jews, affect the Hebrew text of the Old Teftament, as the va"riations in the ancient chriftian fathers affect the Greek text of the New."

In the year 1769, he published a Body of Doctrinal Divinity, in Two Volumes, Quarto; which contain the substance of what he delivered from the pulpit to the people under his care, for the space of upwards of five years: and gave the public reason to expect a Third Volume, then preparing, which would contain a Body of Practical Divinity, and which he proposed to do when he began his course of doctrinal Divinity, as his Introduction to that fhews.

In the year 1770, his Body of Practical Divinity was published: which, with the other Two Volumes, completes his whole scheme of Divinity; which he thought would be the last work published by him. At the end of it, is a Dif fertation concerning the Baptifm of Jewish Profelytes: This the Doctor had upon his mind for many years to write; fuppofing it not very probable, that any of the Baptist denomination might foon rise up and take the pains in the study of Rabbinical literature he had done, and which yet was neceffary for fuch a performance. He therefore thought proper to draw up the whole compafs of the argument, in the above differtation, and leave it behind him, that any one might make himself master of it, who fhould chufe it, and use it as occafion hould offer. It has fince been published feparately, in 8vo.

Having collected together fuch outlines, as we were able, of the LIFE and WRITINGS of this excellent and learned Divine; we fhall close these MEMOIRS with giving a fhort CHARACTER of him.

I

T pleafed God to endue Dr GILL with ftrong mental powers, and with an eager and intenfe defire after improvement in knowledge. This appeared very early, in his ardent thirst after learning; which he diligently fought for, and the best means to obtain it; and with great industry improved every opportunity afforded him: fo that, in a few years, he made a confiderable progress in the knowledge of the learned languages, and all kind of useful literature.

As he grew up in life, he pursued his ftudies with indefatigable diligence, and the closest application: by which means, under the bleffing of God, he attained to a very fuperior degree of folid and useful learning, and acquired an established character for it, amongst the learned of all denominations.

His natural and acquired abilities were very confiderable. He had a quick and clear understanding, a folid and penetrating judgment, a fertile invention, with a strong, capacious, and uncommonly retentive memory. Bleffed with thefe gifts, he was enabled to improve them to the glory of God, which was the grand object he had in view. But, above all, his foul was enriched with a confiderable measure of GRACE, and the gifts of the HOLY SPIRIT; whereby he was abundantly fitted and qualified for, and made an able Minifter of the New Teftament. He was favoured with a large experience of the grace of God; great acquaintance with the fcriptures; and clear light into the gofpel of Jesus CHRIST.

As a minifter, his deportment in the pulpit was grave and folemn : his language plain and expreffive: his method natural and easy: his reasoning strong and nervous: his addreffes affectionate: his matter substantial, clear and confiftent, well digested, and delivered with great fluency and accuracy, which failed not to command and fix the attention of his hearers. In prayer, he poured out his foul with great freedom and fervency, with much importunity, familiarity and liberty; and, like another Apollos, was mighty in the fcriptures, and had the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season.

The great doctrines of the gofpel which he efpoused, and which he at first fet out with in the work of the Lord, and conftantly and firmly abode by through life, even unto death; were fuch as respect a Trinity of perfons in the godheadparticular and perfonal Election-the everlasting love of God-the Covenant of grace —the Fall of Adam, and the consequences of it-Particular Redemption, through the Incarnation, Obedience, Sufferings, Death, Refurrection and Interceffion of the Son of God-Pardon through his blood-Juftification by his righteousness

the

the Efficacious Grace of the holy Spirit in Regeneration—the perfeverance of the Saints in Grace to Glory-the Refurrection of the dead-and eternal Life-these truths, with all thofe doctrines connected with or dependent on them, this faithful fervant of Jefus Chrift did conftantly labour to explain, illuftrate, and defend at the same time, never omitting to recommend and enforce the several duties which are enjoined us in the facred oracles of eternal truth. He did not fhun to declare the whole counsel of God, and kept back nothing that might be profitable to the people; conftantly affirming, that thofe who believe fhould be careful to maintain good works. His miniftry, by the bleffing of God, was very much owned, and greatly fucceeded to the awakening, converfion, comfort, instruction, edification, and establishment of many, who enjoyed the opportunity of attending upon it. And it is worthy of notice, that three perfons, who had been converted under his ministry, were afterwards called to that important work themselves *.

As a Paftor, he conftantly and carefully watched over the flock committed to his charge, and of which he had taken the overfight, with great affection, fidelity and love; and filled up his place in the house of God with honour and usefulness. In which office he continued to his death, above FIFTY-ONE years; labouring, with great affiduity, for the good of fouls; earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the faints; and zealously concerned for the honour of the Redeemer, his cause and interest in the world. And nothing more filled him with grief, than when the deity and divine filiation of the Son of God were denied, or any attempts made to leffen, or fink the dignity of his perfon, the virtue and efficacy of his blood, and of that full and compleat falvation that is alone in him. Nor was he in the least moved from the glorious truths of the gospel, by the fubtilty of any of its adverfaries. He expreffed the comfort he received from those words in Alts xx. 24. But none of these things move me; neither count I my life dear to myself, fo that I might finish my course with joy, and the miniftry which I have received of the Lord Jefus, to teftify the gospel of the grace of God. And through divine grace he was enabled to hold out to the last, and valiantly to contend for the truth on earth.

As an Author, this great man of God difcovered uncommon abilities. His numerous publications, all written with his own hand, are, and will be, ftanding proofs of his indefatigable industry. Indeed, his labours were fo numerous, that it may well appear, to pofterity, almost incredible, that any one perfon fhould be the author of them. Efpecially confidering the vast variety of authors he must have read: as appears by the many criticisms he has made on the languages in which the fcriptures were written. The judicious elucidations

The Reverend Meffieurs John Brine, William Anderson, and James Fall,

of