Journal: Southern Baptist Journal of Theology
Volume: SBJT 25:1 (Spring 2021)
Article: “Egregious Folly:” John Gill’s Picture Of Roman Catholicism In Proverbs
Author: Thomas J. Nettles

SBJT 25:1 (Spring 2021) p. 29

“Egregious Folly:” John Gill’s Picture Of Roman Catholicism In Proverbs

Tom J. Nettles

Tom J. Nettles is Senior Professor of Historical Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, where he has taught since 1997. Prior to teaching at Southern Seminary, Dr. Nettles has taught historical theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Nettles earned his PhD in Church History from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. He has written numerous books such as: Baptists and the Bible, 2nd edition with L. Russ Bush (B&H, 1999), By His Grace and for His Glory, 2nd edition (Founders Press, 2006), The Baptists, 3 vols. (Christian Focus, 2005–2007), Living By Revealed Truth: The Life and Pastoral Ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (Christian Focus, 2013), James Petigru Boyce: Baptist Statesman (P&R, 2009), Easier for a Camel: Andrew Fuller’s View of Man’s Absolute Dependence on Grace (Free Grace Press, 2019). Dr. Nettles is married to Margaret and they have three children and six grandchildren.

Introduction

John Gill felt a deep and visceral resistance to Roman Catholicism. He saw the rise of its spirit and even of its content during the apostolic age when John announced that the spirit of antichrist already was in the world (1 John 4:3). Also, he saw John’s awareness of it by special revelation as he wrote about mystical Babylon the “mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations” (Rev 17:5). This was Roman Catholicism including all of what Gill denominated the “peculiarities” of its systems. Both its ecclesiastical hierarchy and its peculiar doctrines constituted that abomination of religious apostasy1 known as the Church of Rome, the papal system of authority and doctrine.

SBJT 25:1 (Spring 2021) p. 30

This article will describe briefly Gill’s summary of the Roman Catholic system and then examine how he employed his understanding in selected sections of his commentary on Proverbs.

Principles Foundational To Roman Catholicism

Tradition Over Scripture

Gill viewed the foundation of the great apostasy of Rome as its departure from the sole authority of Scripture and its enshrinement of tradition as the only true and clear source of doctrine. Commonly received doctrines of orthodoxy derived clearly from Scripture and affirmed in the history of councils Gill embraced. The common ground of the Trinity, the eternal generatio...