THE

ADVANTAGE AND NECESSITY

OF THE

CHRISTIAN REVELATION,

SHEWN FROM THE

STATE OF RELIGION

IN THE

ANCIENT HEATHEN WORLD:

Efpecially with respect to the

Knowledge and Worship of the One true GoD:

A RULE OF MORAL DUTY:

And a STATE of

17909

FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.

To which is prefixed, a
PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE

ON

NATURAL AND REVEALED RELIGION.
IN TWO VOLUMES.

BY JOHN LELAN D, D. D.
AUTHOR of the VIEW of the DEISTICAL WRITERS, &c.

VOL. I.

LONDON:

Printed by W. RICHARDSON and S. CLARK;

For J. DODSLEY in Pall-mall, and T. LONGMAN in

TO THE

KING.

Moft Gracious SOVEREIGN!

T

HE following Treatife, which is defigned to fhew the advantages we enjoy by the Gospel Revelatton, is with great Humility addreffed to Your Sacred MAJESTY. To this the author was encouraged by the favourable notice Your MAJESTY, when Prince of WaLES, was pleased to take of a book he formerly published with an intention to serve the Chriftian cause, and which You fo far honoured with Your princely approbation, as to fend a confiderable number of them to America, at Your own expence. So early a proof of Your MAJESTY's zeal for Christianity afforded pleasing profpects, that when You should afcend the throne of Your ancestors, You would make religion the object of Your royal

care, and both patronize it by Your authority, and adorn it by Your example.

The Divine Providence has now placed Your MAJESTY at the head of one of the most powerful and flourishing nations in the world, and put it in Your power to give illuftrious proofs of Your concern for the honour of God, and Your regard to the happiness of mankind, by promoting the valuable interests of piety, virtue, and useful learning; which is the most likely way to draw down a bleffing from heaven upon Your MAJESTY'S Perfon and government, and to advance and fecure the true glory and profperity of Your people,

When a KING who has no earthly fuperior, preferves a juft fense of his own subjection to the KING OF KINGS, and whilst He receives the Homage of his fubjects who are his fellow-creatures, is himself careful with an unfeigned devotion to pay his duty to the GREAT CREATOR AND LORD OF ALL, to whom He must be accountable for his conduct; when He maintains a purity and regularity of manners amidst the most specious allurements of a tempting world; this forms a character which derives a glory to the greatest monarch, far

fuperior

fuperior to all the fplendors of royal magnificence.

It is a thing which cannot reasonably be denied, that RELIGION, rightly understood and practifed, ftrengthens the facred ties between SOVEREIGNS and their SUBJECTS. It tends to render KINGS juft and equal in their administrations, the FATHERS of their people and the GUARDIANS of their liberties; and to render the people loyal and obedient, ready with the greateft fidelity and chearfulness to yield all due subjection and allegiance; and at the same time it has a manifest tendency to spread good order and harmony, and to promote the practice of thofe virtues which have the greatest influence on public as well as private happiness.

-That

That this may be the bleffing of Your MAJESTY, and these nations:-That wisdom and righteousness may be the ftability of Your throne, and that Your MAJESTY may long reign in the hearts of a happy and united people :the knowledge and practice of true vital Chriftianity may flourish under Your auspicious government :-And that these nations may continue in the poffeffion and due improvement of their civil and religious privileges, under PRINCES