John, D.D. a Protestant dissenting minister of the Baptist denomination, and the son of Edward and Elizabeth Gill, was born at Kettering in Northamptonshire, November 23. 1697. At a very early period of life, his father, who was a deacon of the Baptist church at Kettering, discovered in him an uncommon capacity for learning; and his ability for literary pursuits afterwards appeared by the rapid progress in whatever became the object of his study. He was sent to a grammar school in the neighbourhood; where he soon surpassed those boys who were much his seniors in age and as pupils. At this school he continued till he arrived at his 11th year; where he read most of the Latin classics, and made considerable proficiency in the Greek language.

Mr Gill's celebrity as a scholar, and his strong attachment to books, were soon observed by the neighbouring clergy, who frequently met and conversed with him at a bookeller's shop, to which he resorted for the purpose of reading; and indeed such was his application to books, that it became a proverbial saying among the common people, "Such a thing is as certain, as that John Gill is in the bookeller's shop."

He left the grammar school, however, early in life. This was occasioned by the imperious conduct of his master, who insisted that the children of dissenting parents should, with other scholars that belonged to the establishment, attend him to church on week days during the performance of divine service. The dissenters considered this requisition as a stretch of power to which his engagements with them gave no claim; and as it was virtually making conformity a test by which his pupils were to expect the benefits of tuition, they resented his conduct; and the children of those parents that were in affluent circumstances were removed to seminaries where the same advantages might be obtained without being subject to the impositions of clerical bigotry. But as the parents of Mr Gill had it not in their power to confer on him the same privilege, the same steps could not be taken to facilitate his advancement in learning. To pave the way, however, for the completion of his studies, efforts were made by several ministers, of different denominations, to get him upon one or other of the funds in London. For this purpose specimens of his progress in the different branches of literature were transmitted to the metropolis: in answer to which it was objected, "that he was too young, and that should he continue, as it might be expected he would, to make such rapid advances in his studies, he would go through the common circle before he would be capable of taking care of himself, or of being employed in any public service." But these formidable objections were of no weight with our young scholar: his love of learning was unconquerable. Intuperable difficulties, it is true, obstructed the way in which literary eminence is usually acquired; but these difficulties could neither repress his ardent desire of knowledge, nor damp the zeal and application that had marked his former studies. For though his time was daily devoted to the business of his father; yet he had so far improved the hours of leisure, as to be able, before he arrived at his 19th year, to read all the Greek and Latin authors that fell in his way. He studied logic, rhetoric, moral and natural philosophy; and learnt the Hebrew language so as to read it with ease, without any other assistance than Buxtorf's grammar and lexicon.

Neither the parliant of learning, however, nor the other necessary aspirations incumbent on Mr Gill, could eradicate those religious impressions received in early life. On November 1. 1716, he made a public profession of his faith before the Baptist church at Kettering, and was baptized the same day by Mr Thomas Wallis. Of this church Mr Gill had not been long a member before he was called to the work of the ministry: soon after which, he removed to Higham-Ferrers, with a view to pursue his studies under the direction of Mr Davis; but his stay at this place was soon interrupted by an invitation from London in 1719, to preach to the Baptist church in Horleydown, over which he was the same year, being the 22d of his age, ordained pastor; which office he sustained upwards of 51 years.

Mr Gill had not been long in London, before rabbinical learning, of which he had before considerable knowledge, became an object of pursuit. To facilitate his progress through the intricacies of this labyrinth, he contracted an acquaintance with one of the most learned Jewish rabbis. He read the Targums, the Talmud, the Rabbot, their ancient commentaries, the book Zohar, and whatever else of this kind he was able to procure. Of the oriental languages he made Gill. himself a complete master: in short, there was no branch of knowledge that could either enlarge or enrich Biblical learning, which, however difficult, was not attempted and attained: and it may be truly asserted, that in this line he had but few equals, and that the annals of literature do not exhibit a character by whom he was excelled.

In 1748, Mr Gill published a commentary on the New Testament, in three volumes folio. The immense reading and learning discoverable in this arduous work, attracted the attention of the Marischal College and University of Aberdeen; and procured for him, without either his solicitation or his knowledge, a diploma, creating him doctor in divinity. This intelligence was communicated to the doctor in the most handsome terms by the professors Oiborn and Pollock; who declared, "that on account of his knowledge of the Scriptures, of the Oriental languages, and of Jewish antiquities, of his learned defence of the Scriptures against Deists and Infidels, and the reputation gained by his other works; the university had, without his privity, unanimously agreed to confer on him the degree of doctor in divinity."

Dr Gill's sentiments, as a divine, were throughout Calvinistic: "And perhaps no man (says the Rev. Mr Toplady, a minister in the church of England) since the days of Austin, has written so largely in defence of the system of grace; and certainly no man has treated that momentous subject in all its branches, more closely, judiciously, and successfully. What was said of Edward the Black Prince, that he never fought a battle which he did not win; what has been remarked of the great duke of Marlborough, that he never undertook a siege which he did not carry; may be justly accommodated to our great philosopher and divine; who, so far as the distinguishing doctrines of the gospel are concerned, never besieged an error which he did not force from its strong holds, nor ever encountered an adversary whom he did not baffle and subdue. His learning and labours, if exceedable, were exceeded only by the invariable sanctity of his life and conversation. From his childhood to his entrance on the ministry, and from his entrance on the ministry to the moment of his dissolution, not one of his most inveterate opposers was ever able to charge him with the least shadow of immorality. Himself, no less than his writings, demonstrated that the doctrine of grace does not lead to licentiousness. Those who had the honour and happiness of being admitted into the number of his friends, can go full farther in their testimony. They know that his moral demeanor was more than blameless: it was from first to last consistently exemplary. And indeed an undeviating consistency, both in his views of evangelical truths, and in his obedience as a servant of God, was one of those qualities by which his cast of character was eminently marked. He was in every respect a burning and a shining light: Burning with love to God, to truth, and to souls; shining as an example to believers, in word, in faith, in purity; a pattern of good works, and a model of all holy conversation and godliness; and while true religion and sound learning have a single friend remaining in the British empire, the works and name of Gill will be precious and revered."

He died at Camberwell, October 14, 1771, aged 73 years 10 months and 10 days. In 1718, the Doctor Gill married Mrs Elizabeth Negus; by whom he had many children, two of whom only survived him. Mrs Gill died in 1764.

His works are, A Commentary on the Old and New Testament in 9 vols folio. A Body of Divinity in 3 vols quarto. The Cause of God and Truth, 4 vols 8vo. A Treatise concerning the Prophecies of the Old Testament respecting the Messiah. A Dissertation on the antiquity of the Hebrew Language, Letters, Vowel Points, and Accents. Sermons on the Canticles, folio; besides a great number of sermons and controversial pieces on different subjects.

a measure of capacity, containing a quarter of an English pint.

GILLS or BRANCHIAE of fishes. See ANATOMY Index.