Needed: a critical edition of John Gill

There are two great Baptist theologians from the UK in the long eighteenth century: John Gill (1697-1771) and Andrew Fuller (1754-1815). Together, their lives cover the long eighteenth century. I have spent most of my academic career since the mid-1980s on Fuller and the circle of men around him. Fuller deeply appreciated Gill but differed with him on a number of key issues. But both men—and I stress, both men—are vital for an appreciation of the Baptist world in the eighteenth century.

Early on in my decision to focus on Fuller, I identified the need for a critical edition of his works, and in the providence of God (and it was providential), I was led to Walter de Gruyter as the pubslisher of that edition. This edition, now roughly half way through the publication of 17 volumes, was 15 years in the planning before the first volume appeared. But this is not the place to go into the details of that as I want to emphasize the need for another critical edition, namely, that of John Gill.

There is a resurgence of interest in Gill, which even though I am what might be called a Fullerite, I hold to be a good thing. My love for Fuller has not blinded me to areas where I strongly disagree with him (e..g., his embrace of a governmental view of the atonement in adition to penal substitution). And I have grown to love Gill despite other differences with him (on, e.g., the free offer of the Gospel and eternal justification).

This resurgence has led some publishers to plan on reprinting Gill in various formats. All well and good. A few reprints will whet the appetite for more of Gill. But: Surely the time is ripe for a good critical edition. This would take 20-25 years, I suspect, with a team of first-class editiors, who are experts in Gill and the 18th century.

Who has the bold vision to plan such and convince a publisher to take this on?