Life and Writings of the Rev. John Gill, D.D. by John Rippon

Sprinkle Publications.  hb. 157pp.

The late Dr. John Gill was, in various respects, so distinguished an individual, whether we have regard to his talents, his industry in improving them, the eminence to which he attained in oriental and classical literature, of his Christian character, that one may be justly be surprised so little is generally known of his life and labors. Were we to have recourse to any of our biographical dictionaries for information on the subject, we should find the article dismissed in about twenty lines, giving us a meager outline of the place of his birth, his family, education, and the various publications with which he enriched the literature of his country, while the most interesting and instructive parts of his biography are wholly unnoticed. The reason of this is, that the only full and authentic account of this great and learned man, is that which was compiled by the late Dr. John Rippon, his successor in the work of the ministry, and prefixed to Dr. Gill's "Exposition of the Bible", in nine volumes, quarto of course, accessible only to those who happen to be in possession of that laborious undertaking, the number of whom must be comparatively few. It is presumed that a re-publication of the former, in a detached form, and at a moderate price, can scarcely fail of meeting with a favorable acceptance at the hands of the religious community, more especially, as tending to bring this great and learned man more prominently before the public, and so doing his character that justice which hitherto it has not received.

This book has been printed verbatim from the above-mentioned memoir, which will account for an occasional reference to the Commentary which will be observed in the perusal.