"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."