PREFACE. 
the Supreme Being of the Univerfe, that is the mere ProduBion of his Mind, I think 
what ts laft produced by him ought to be accounted the moft perfeB ; for -which Reafon 
I have offered and dedicated to GOD the lafi Work of this Kind that I intend 
to perform. 
I dedicate this Piece to GOD, in humble Gratitude for all the good Things I have 
received Jrom him in this World, and not becatife I imagine G O’D exfie&s Sacrifices 
or Offerings of any Kind from Men. It feems plain to my Reafon, that GOD 
wants no Service from us, though univerfal Cufiom has eflablijhed Forms by -which Men 
ffew their Obligation and Gratitude to God . Men that have a Senfe of Gratitude to - 
■wards GOD, -will be always defirous to Jhe-w fame outward Signs off that Gratitude, 
which can be done by no Sort of Offerings , but of fuch good Things as they have firfi re- 
ceived of GOD. If we compare ourfelves, as Atoms of ImperfeBion, -with the A 1 I- 
powerful Being, it will be impoffible but that our ABions, with refpeB to him , muff be 
full of mconfijtent Abfur dities-, and ’tis certain G O D can -want of us neither Offer- 
ing nor any formal Worthip, or verbal Prayer-, but Nature and Reafon teach us, 
•whenfoever -we become fenfible of the Obligations -we fiand in towards him, from a Confi- 
deration of his Almighty Tower and great Goodnejs to us, in bringing us forth from 
the dark Chaos of Obfcurity and Confufion, into Life, Light, and rational Under land- 
ing, and making, us the 1' irft, and Lords of all other created Beings -which plentifully cover 
the Face of this terrefital Globe, that our Minds Jhould be filled -with Gratitude, 
Praife, Thanksgiving , and the lo-weft Humiliation and Adoration-, and the great Good- 
ne J s °J G OD towards us all, Jhould, 1 think, naturally teach us, that as a Portion 
of his Love is difpenced to each Individual, we ought to be kind, benevolent and affedU- 
onate to one another 3 for fur ely it is Man y s Duty to love whom God loves , 
I hope no one will be offended at what I have faid above , for as this is a Natural 
Hifl'ory, I defigned ftriBly to dedicate it to the great G O D of Nature, fuch as I 
think all Men of difeernment may difeover him to be by the mere Light of l> their own 
Minds , for which Reafon I have not called Revelation in to my Aid and Affiance 3 
though no one is more ready than myfelf to incorporate natural Religion with Re- 
velation, Jo far as they^ may be found to confif with one another 5 and I think 
many of our bejl Theologifis have reconciled them fo well together, as to make them 
almoft one and the fame Thing, For my own Part , I have always form'd my Practice 
after fuch DoBrmes in Revelation, as appear'd to my Underfanding agreeable to Nature y 
Reafon, and the common Senfe and Meaning of Mankind 3 and I believe there are but 
few that will give an implicit Afjent to any Thing that appears to them contrary to Na- 
ture , Reafon, and Common Senfe. 
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