T HOUGH I may not think it improper , hut rather very reasonable and juft, 
to offer or dedicate to G O D any valuable Property or Blefling we have received 
from him, yet the Uncommonnefs of dedicating a Book to the Great Creator 
of the Universe, may require Jome Apology amongjl Men. They 'will perhaps 
agree , that People in almojl all Ages and Places of the World , in order to ffew their 
Gratitude /o GOD, have offer'd , prefented, or facrificed to him Part of the Increafe of 
fuch good Things , as he in his Goodnefs had blefjed them 'with an Ability of producing 
out of the Earth , 'whether Cattle , Fowl, or the Fruits of the Ground; fuch as Bulls, 
Sheep , Corn , Wine , Oyl, and a Variety of other Things , both Animal and Vegetable 
and of thefe they offer'd , generally , the Firf-born of Animals, and the Firf-fruits of 
Vegetable Productions, thofe being always accounted the fair ejl and mo ft proper to prefent 
to the Giver of all Good Things ; fo that it may be objected to me, that my offering 
/o GOD is of a Species differing from what has been ufually facrifced or prefented 
to him ; to which 1 anfwer , that in my Opinion the Endowments of the Mind of Man, 
and his inward Ability of penetrating into, and admiring the wonderful Works of the 
Great Creator, are Gifts far fuperior to thofe which ferve him only for Food 
and Cloathing, for which Reafon, it is more the Duty of a Man to thank God for the 
Endowments of his Mind, than for the Support of his Body. If any ffould object that 
this is not the Firfl-fruits of the thinking Faculty in me, and therefore of Courfe not 
Jo worthy of being prefented to GOD; to fuch I anfwer, that tho' Animal and V 
getable Bodies may produce better Fruits at firft than they do afterwards, it is otherwife 
as to the Powers and Perfections of the Mind, which are always better'd and much 
improved by Age, Reflection, and long Experience, fo that the Mind or Soul attains not 
its great eft Perfection and Beauty, till the latter Part of Life ; whereas the Body is 
rnofl perfect in the earliefl Stages thereof j confequently , if a Man would offer any Thing to 
a the 
