"was nothing in him of that Morofenefs 66 or Sullenness that has fometimes cloud"ed the Excellencies of Perfons that have been otherwife very valuable; but an open and free Behaviour, an habitual "Cheerfulness, the genuine Indication of an eafy and fprightly Mind. His Converfation was pleafant and facetious, "but always within the Bounds of Decency and Innocence, without ever indulging himself in any Freedoms unbecoming his Profeffion and Character. He "had a Soul formed to Tendernefs and Sympathy. The Cafe of diftreffed Per"fons and Families was often obferved to "make a very deep Impreffion upon his Spirit, and he was ever ready to comfort and affift them according to the utmost of his Ability."

66

66

Dr. Leland was fully fenfible of the Wifdom of his Choice in the matrimonial State, as his Wife was a very agreeable Companion, of an excellent Temper, and of fincere Piety and they proved mutual Helps and Comforts to one another. He had feveral Children by her, but they died when they were very young: and as his Wife had Children by her former Hufband, he behaved with a moft tender, and not less than parental Affection to them and their Offfpring, treating them as if they had been his own, and with a moft folicitous At

tention

་

tention watched over and inftructed them, and trained them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord.

In the Year 1730, Dr. Tindal published his laboured Performance, intitled, Chriftianity as old as the Creation; or the Gospel a Republication of the Law of Nature.

As

this Book made a great Noise, several good Answers were given to it. But he thought more might juftly be faid to expofe the fallacious Reafonings, the Contradictions and Malice of that dangerous' Piece: And to fhew, that instead of deferving the Applause which many had given it, he was a fubtle uncandid Writer, and his Performance full of Inconfiftencies and empty Sophifms, fpecious perhaps at firft' View, but, when narrowly examined, very weak and trifling. This therefore engaged his Pen in a Caufe, in the Defence of which he afterwards became fo eminent. It was not any vain Defire of Applause that put him upon it, but an ardent Zeal for the divine Glory, and an hearty Concern for the Honour and Interest of Christianity amongst us, which he was perfuaded is the Cause of God; and he' thought, that if he could be any Way useful for vindicating the Honour of our Redeemer, and of his glorious Gospel, it was his Duty not to let his Talents lie neglect→ ed, but to confecrate them to God, and

the

the Service of his Church: Accordingly in the Year 1733, he published two large. Volumes in 8vo, under the Title of An Anfwer to a late Book intitled Christianity as old as the Creation. This Work is much larger, and takes a wider Compass than the other Answers, and carries in it full Proof of the Doctor's Learning and great Application. It is divided into two Parts. In the first Part, which takes up the first Volume, the Author's Account of the Law of Nature is confidered, and his Scheme is fhewn to be inconfiftent with Reason and with itself, and of ill Consequence to the Interefts of Virtue, and to the Good of Mankind. In the fecond Part, the Authority and Usefulness of the Revelation contained in the facred Writings of the Old and New Teftament is afferted and vindicated against the Objections and Mifrepresentations of this Writer. He has given a large Account of this Book, and of his own Anfwer, in the View of the Deistical Writers *, which makes any farther Enlargement on it needlefs.

In the Year 1737 Dr. Morgan published a Book with a pompous Title, viz. The Moral Philofopher; to which Dr. Leland returned an Answer in 8vo in 1739, intitled, The divine Authority of the Old and New Teftament afferted, &c. against the * Vol. I. p. 112, &c. unjust

unjuft Afperfions and falfe Reasonings of a Book intitled, The Moral Philofopher. The Design of which was to take a dif tinct View of what Dr. Morgan had offered, both against Revelation in general, and against the Holy Scriptures in particular.

The Author of the Moral Philofopher, who was a Writer of great Vivacity, did not continue long filent: He published a Defence of his former Book in what he called The Second Volume of the Moral Philofopher, or a farther Vindication of Moral Truth and Reafon. This was chiefly defigned against Dr. Leland's Anfwer to him, in which he manifefts the greatest Effrontery, and uses very indecent Language. However, he published a fecond Volume of The divine Authority of the Old and New Teftament afferted, in Answer to the second Volume of the Moral Philofopher, in 8vo, 1740. In this Reply every Thing is con-, fidered, that had any Appearance of Argument in this Book, and his unfair Mifrepresentations, his unjust Afperfions, and confident Attempts to impofe Falfhoods upon his Readers, are detected and expofed*.

In 1742 a remarkable Pamphlet appeared, which is called Christianity not founded on Argument. The Author of this Piece carried on his Design against the Christian Religion in a Manner somewhat

• Deistical Writers, Vol. I. p. 131, &c.

different

different from what others had done before him. Under fpecious Appearances of Zeal for Religion, and under the Cover of devout Expreffions, he endeavoured to fhew that the Chriftian Faith hath no Foundation in Reafon, nor hath any Thing to fupport it but a wild and fenfelefs Enthufiafm, deftitute of all Proof and Evidence. And if this could be made out, it would, no Doubt, answer the Intention he plainly had in View, the expofing the Chriftian Religion to the Derifion and Contempt of Mankind.

In Answer to which the Doctor wrote Remarks on a late Pamphlet intitled, Chriftianity not founded on Argument, contained in two Letters, which were published feparately in 1744. The Design of this Anfwer was not to enter upon a distinct and particular Account of the Evidences, which are usually produced in Proof of the Chriftian Revelation, which he had confidered largely on fome former Occafions; but to reprefent in a clear and concife Manner, the Abfurdity and ill Tendency, as well as manifold Inconfiftencies of this Writer's Scheme; to give a plain Confutation of the principal Arguments from Scripture and Reason by which he pretended to support it, and to detect and expofe his Fallacies and Misrepresentations *.

*Deift. Writers, Vol. I. p. 151, &c.