NEW BROAD-STREET.-Independent. to the Rev. Mr. Samuel Chandler, in Answer to one from him to the Author, in which Mr. Chandler's charitable Temper; his Treatment of Sacred Things, his Misrepresentations, his Notion of preaching Christ, and his Charge of Uncharitableness, &c. are considered. By John Guyse. 1730." As there is no end to strife, and even good men are sometimes too prone to indulge in it, so these angry disputants having drawn the sword, were not sufficiently cooled that it should be laid aside. Mr. Chandler produced, in the same year, "A second Letter to the Rev. Mr. John Guyse; in which Mr. Guyse's Latitude, and Restrictive Ways of preaching Christ, are proved to be entirely the same; the Notion of preaching Christ's Person is examined; the Scripture Account of preaching Christ is further cleared and defended; the Charge alleged against him, of defaming his Brethren, is maintained and supported; and his solemn Arts in Controversy are considered and exposed. By Samuel Chandler. 1730." To this, Mr. Guyse rejoined, not in a separate publication, for he intended to take no public notice of Mr. Chandler's second Letter, but in a postscript to a sermon, which he published in the same year, occasioned by the death of the Rev. John Asty. Here closed the controversy, after many angry words had been used on both sides. It is a satisfaction to observe, that notwithstanding the ill temper with which the debate was conducted, the combatants afterwards met at a friend's house, and were cordially reconciled; a circumstance which reflects the highest honour on the memory of both these gentlemen. Mr. Guyse's reputation as a scholar and a Divine, occasioned his receiving, in the year 1732, the degree of Doctor in Divinity. It was conferred upon him in the most respectful manner, and without his knowledge, by the University of Aberdeen; "and this title of honour and esteem he accepted, with a modesty and decency becoming the Christian." In the same year, a society was instituted in London, called the King's Head Society, (from the tavern where the 1 meetings were held,) for the purpose of forming a fund to assist young men in a course of academical education for the ministry. In this design, Dr. Guyse joined heart and hand, and continued a zealous member of the institution to the time of his death. He was, also, one of the trustees for the direction of Mr. Coward's liberal bequests to the interests of literature and religion. In the year 1733, Dr. Guyse was concerned with several other ministers of the Independent persuasion, in preaching a course of sermons at Berry-street, upon the principal heads of the Christian religion. These discourses were afterwards printed in two volumes, octavo. They are fifty-four in number, and nine are by Dr. Guyse. Upon the death of Dr. Ridgley, in the following year, our author was chosen to succeed him in the Merchants' lecture upon a Tuesday morning, at Pinners'-Hall. Dr. Guyse had been several years engaged in preparing for the press, a large and valuable work, and in 1739, he gave to the public the first volume of his "Paraphrase on the New Testament." It was originally published in the quarto form, and the third and last volume appeared in 1752. This was a work which cost him a great deal of labour and close study, and is executed with a great degree of care and exactness. "He has shewn herein (savs Dr.. Conder) his solid judgment and learning, and without any affectation and needless pomp of criticism, has given the reader as full a view of the sense of the best interpreters, and as comprehensive an insight into the scope and meaning of the New Testament, as is ever likely to be met with, in the same compass of words. It is indeed a performance too well known, to need any other than its own recommendation."* Dr. Doddridge, who quotes it several times in terms of particular respect, designates it as "A pious and ingenious paraphrase."+ But Dr. Savage observes, that * Dr. Conder's Sermon, ubi supra, p. 25, 26. + Doddridge's Family Expositor, vol. ii. p. 77. NEW BROAD-STREET.Independent. "it lies open to one great objection; that the author, fearful of swerving from commonly received interpretations, instead fixing the precise sense of a passage, hath blended together, in his paraphrase, the several senses which orthodox writers have proposed: so that the reader, with all the meanings before him, is frequently at a loss, and perhaps the more so, to know what the passage actually imports.' It may be observed, however, that the paraphrase is remarkably full, and, in many places, very judicious. The pious spirit it breathes renders it well adapted to be read in families; and as there is, in a manner, a scheme of a sermon upon every text, it is particularly useful to ministers. The reputation of the author, the serious spirit diffused through his pages, and the marks of learning and ingenuity which he discovers, secured the work a good reception from the public, as well from persons of different sentiments, as from those whose views corresponded with his own. It has passed through several editions, in Scotland as well as in England. Dr. Guyse was favoured, for many years, with a considerable share of health; but in the latter part of life, he was afflicted with a very painful lameness in his leg, and also with a gradual decay in his sight, till, at length, he grew totally dark. This, it was apprehended, would put a period to his public labours, especially as he had always used his notes at large: "But God afforded him his heavenly supports, so that, with a remarkable degree of resignation and cheerfulness, he persevered in his ministrations as health permitted, and that with little sensible inconvenience to any, but himself." It appears that the preaching of Dr. Guyse was more acceptable to some persons after he became blind, on account of the disuse of his notes, than it was previous to that event. An anecdote to this purpose is recorded by the late Mr. Toplady, but as the manner in which Prot. Diss. Mag. vol. iii. p. 446. + Dr. Conder's Sermon, ubi supra. NEW BROAD-STREET.Independent. it is related, makes it somewhat dubious, we shall insert it in the note. (Q) Dr. Guyse, notwithstanding his great age, and visible decay of strength and vigour, was enabled to persevere in his delightful work, till within a few weeks of his decease.His latter end, to a remarkable degree, was peace. He was enabled to leave the world with great composure, and in hope of a blessed immortality. To some friends who at tended him in the last week of his confinement, he witnessed a good confession. He often declared his faith to be fixed upon the Rock of Ages; that his mind was unclouded; and his hopes rested upon the blood and righteousness of the Redeemer. "Thanks be to God (says he) I have no doubt, no difficulty upon my mind, as to my eternal state; if I had I could not bear what I now feel! I know in whom I have believed; here my faith rests; the peculiar doctrines of the gospel which I have long preached, are now the support of my soul, I live upon them every day, and thence I derive never-failing comfort." At another time, "How good is my God to me! how often has he made good to me that promise, As thy days, so shall thy strength be." His last request to those present was, that they would read and pray with him. On reading 2 Cor. chap. v. which yielded to him great satisfaction, he commented upon the words to this effect: ver. 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, &c. << Oh, when shall it be (2) "The late Dr. Guyse (says Mr. Toplady) lost his eye sight in the pulpit, while he was in his prayer before sermon. Having finished bis prayer, he was, consequently, forced to make no use of his written papers, but to preach without notes. As he was led out of the meeting, after service was over, he could not help lamenting his sudden and total blindness. A good old gentlewoman, who heard him deplore his loss, answered him, 'God be praised that your sight is gone. I never heard you preach so powerfu a sermon in my life. Now, we shall have no more notes. I wish, for my own part, that the Lord had took away your eye-sight twenty years ago, for your ministry would have been more useful by twenty degrees."— Toplady's Posthumous Works, p. 158. NEW BROAD-STREET.Independent. dissolved indeed! When shall this mortal put on immortality!" Ver. 2. In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon, &c. "This, this is my earnest desire; and what I am waiting for." Ver. 4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; "For this I groan daily, and ere long shall groan no more." Ver. 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of his Spirit. "This I have, this I do enjoy, and therefore I am confident.-I am not afraid of death, I am afraid I should err on the other hand, in being too desirous of it." Thus, on the morning of the Lord's-day in which he died, it still was the language of his heart and lips, "When shail I get through this valley?" And some of the last words he was capable of pronouncing, so as to be understood, were, " Oh my God, thou who hast always been with me, wilt not leave me."* In this confidence of faith he departed to the world of spirits, on the 22d of November, 1761, in the 81st year of his age. Mr. Brewer delivered the address at his interment in Bunhillfields and his funeral sermon was preached by Dr. Conder, on Psa. xxxvii. 37. Mark the perfect man, &c. Dr. Guyse's character and conduct were in every point of view uniform and amiable. In the avowal of his religious principles he was open; in his adherence to them steady and consistent; and he was never ashamed to own or vindicate them, when opposed. His ministerial talents were distinguished and popular. His compositions were deemed solid, regular, well digested, and highly scriptural. His knowledge and reading in the scriptures were remarkable; as evidently appeared after the loss of his sight. As a pastor, he was active, faithful and affectionate; an example to the flock, both in faith and godliness; and as he had the welfare of his people greatly at heart, so there were few ministers more highly esteemed and honoured by their people. His • Dr. Conder's Sermon on the Death of Dr Guyse, p. 29-31. |