PREFACE. Tw HE Rev. Dr. Leland was born at Wiggan in Lancashire, the 18th of October, O. S. in the Year 1691. When he turned his Thoughts to the Place and Time of his Birth, he observed there were two Things for which he had great Reason to be thankful to Divine Providence. The one was his having been born in a Land of evangelical Light and Liberty.-The other, his having been born of religious Parents. Though it be very true, what fome Perfons have obferved, that no Man shall be saved or condemned merely for being born in fuch a Country, or at fuch a Time, yet it cannot be denied, that there are fome Ages and Countries eminently distinguished above others, and in which Perfons have much greater Advantages for knowing and practising their Duty, and for making a Progrefs in all thofe Accomplishments, that tend to the true Dignity and Perfection of the human Nature. And any one that believeth a Providence, which fuperintendeth the Affairs of Men, ought to look upon it as a happy Circumftance, when his Birth and Habitation have been fo ordered and difpofed, as to give him great Advantages Advantages for religious and moral Improvements. He was therefore thankful to the Divine Providence, that he was born not among the wild Indians; not in the barbarous and uncultivated Nations, among whom the main Principles of what is called Natu ral Religion, are in a great Measure extinguished, and where human Nature is funk into the lowest Degree of Meanness and Ignorance; nor yet in Countries groaning under Turkish Oppreffion; nor where the Christian Religion is debafed with Superftition and corrupt Mixtures, which have greatly obfcured and defaced its primitive Purity, Simplicity, and Glory; or where Papal Tyranny prevaileth, and where there is no Liberty allowed for an impartial Examination of the Scriptures, and keeping close to that facred Rule. Had our Author been to choose for himfelf in what Part of the World, in what Nation, in what Age, to come into Existence, he could fcarce have defired any thing more favourable in thefe Refpects, than it pleafed God in his great Goodness to affign him. He thought he was born in one of the happieft Parts of the Earth, in a Country bleffed with great Advantages, and in one of the brightest Periods that is to be met with in the whole Courfe of the English Hiftory. For in no Age nor Country was there ever a fuller Enjoyment of Liberty, Liberty, a more glorious Light, greater Advantages for Improvement, or better Opportunities for making a free Inquiry into the Nature and Reafons of the Chriftian Religion, and profeffing it in its Purity. This, he thought, ought not to be paffed over with a flight Regard, but juftly called for the most grateful Acknowledgments. The other Thing he had to be peculiarly thankful for, in which he had an Advantage above many thousands in the fame Age and Country, was his being born of religious Parents, Perfons of true Chriftian Simplicity, and godly Sincerity. To proceed from Parents diftinguished by the Splendor of their Titles, and Affluence of their Fortunes and Circumstances, may indeed, in many Cafes, open a Way for making a Figure in the World, and being extenfively useful in the Community. But it often bringeth great Temptations along with it, which few are able to refift or overcome, But to fpring from Parents of great Piety and Virtue, though of comparatively mean outward Circumftances, is a real and mighty Advantage. And the Benefit arifing from their early good Inftructions and good Examples, is fuperior to any Thing which worldly Riches or Honours can furnish: and to be in a great Measure exempted from thofe Temptations to which thefe Things generally expofe Men, 2 2 |