"For
my own Part, when I am employed in serving others, I do not look upon
myself as conferring Favours, but as paying Debts. In my Travels, and
since my Settlement, I have received much Kindness from Men, to whom
I shall never have any Opportunity of making the least direct Return.
And numberless Mercies from God, who is infinitely above being benefited
by our Services. Those Kindnesses from Men, I can therefore only Return
on their Fellow Men; and I can only shew my Gratitude for these mercies
from God, by a readiness to help his other Children and my Brethren.
For I do not think that Thanks and Compliments, tho’ repeated weekly,
can discharge our real Obligations to each other, and much less those
to our Creator."