The certainty of the Christian revelation, and the necessity of believing it, established in opposition to all the cavils and insinuations of such as pretend to allow natural religion, and reject the Gospel / by Francis Gastrell ...

To the Right Honourable Sir John Holt, Lord Chief Justice of England, and one of His Majesties Most Honourable Privy-Council.

My Lord,

THE Design of the follow∣ing Discourse being to prove the Christian Religion in the most unexceptionable man∣ner I could, I was resolved to give the Enemies of our Faith as little Advantage against me in my De∣dication as in my Proof: And 'tis for that Reason I have presumed to offer these Papers to your Lord∣ship, as being well assured that your Lordship's Name and Cha∣racter will not only Justifie this

Address, but Recommend the Cause I am defending.

For to whom could an Advo∣cate for Christianity better direct his Defence, than to a serious Be∣liever, and a great Example, placed in a high Station; whose Profound Knowledge of Law and Go∣vernment has fully convinced him of the absolute Necessity of Religion in general, and the Reasonableness and Wisdom of the Christian Institution; and who in a long, diligent, and impartial Administration of Justice, must be very well acquainted with all the Ways and Methods of proving Matters of Fact, and nicely understand the Force and Proporti∣on of every Proof.

I shall not take upon me, in this place, to set forth all the Ex∣traordinary Qualifications your Lordship is Master of; because, most of them being imployed in

the Service of your Country, they have already procured you the just returns of Gratitude and Esteem from the Publick, which has received the benefit of them: But this I think my self more par∣ticularly obliged to mention, for the Honour of the Christian Religi∣on, that it is to the Influence of that Holy Doctrine your Lordship owes the most advantageous Di∣stinctions in your Character.

What other Account can be gi∣ven of that Firmness and Steadiness of Mind which your Lordship has preserved in all the difficult and trying Circumstances that different Turns of State, and different Mea∣sures of Policy have ingaged you in? When new Interests and new Dangers arose, and every thing chang'd about you, it must be wholly owing to Christian Prin∣ciples that your Lordship always

kept your Ground and your Posture.

To the same Cause it must be ascribed that your Lordship has never stained your Publick Cha∣racter with private Immoralities. Notions of Honour and Reputation may preserve a Man's Dignity upon the Bench; but 'tis only a Just and Awful Sence of Religion that can make him Reverence himself at home.

And in a Corrupt Age, where Impiety is grown Fashionable, and has Quality and Title to Coun∣tenance it, tis no small Sign of your Lordships regard for Religion, that you judge it for your Honour to have it known, that you make the Scriptures the Rule of your own Life, and think it the highest Con∣cern of all Humane Laws and Constitutions to support their Au∣thority and Obligation.

For all these Reasons, my Lord, it must be very proper for any Per∣son that appears in the Christian Cause to Address his Endeavours to your Lordship; especially if it be considered that, besides your great Capacity to make a right Judg∣ment of the Proofs alledged for it, you have no other Considerations to ingage you in the Interests of Chri∣stianity, but those of Truth, and the Happiness of Mankind. It cannot be said of your Lordship, that the Credit or Advantages of your Pro∣fession are concerned in the Defence of the Gospel; you derive none of the Honour and Greatness you possess from the Church; and therefore your Lordship's Example is a very good Argument to Unbelievers, that those who are peculiarly set a∣part for the Service of God are not carrying on a separate Interest from the rest of the World; but are

promoting all they can the Univer∣sal Good of Mankind.

I might, among other Induce∣ments to the present Dedication, reckon personal Favours: But I must own, that though I have all the Gratitude imaginable for the Honour of your Lordship's good Opinion and kind Intentions; and though I have no greater Obliga∣tions to any Man Living than to your Lordship; yet nothing of that Nature would have produced such an Address as this, if I had not been determined by more pub∣lick Considerations to interest your Lordship in the Cause I have un∣dertaken. I am,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most Obliged, and most Humble Servant, FRANCIS GASTRELL.