III. When Men do any fignal A<^s of Kindnefs to

each other^theReceiver elteemshimfelf oblig'd to pay them back again, in fome Service or Benefit as good. This is what Men cannot be excufed from, provided fit Opportunities ofFer^and their Circumftances enable them to do it. But when the Power of doing thus is wanting^we are fenfible, that fo much as falls fhort in procuring a Friend's real Advantage , ought to be made up in all becoming Teftimonies of Refped-. In fuch aReadinefs of Mind, as plainly fhews, that the Party does not however want the Will and hearty De- fire- of returning fuch Favours in' kind and to the full.
Now the fame Rule of Equity muft needs hold to- ward our Great Benefador in Heaven. He is indeed fo great, that his All-fufficiency can neither need nor receive any Addition. And We are fo very Poor and Impotent, that it were the Extremity of Vanity and Madnefs, to imagine our felves capable of adding to him. The utmoft We can do is, fo to demean our felves, that He and all theWorld may plainly perceive us duly fenfib'e of his Bounty. Now this can only be demonfirated by our Conitant and Zealous Care to ^\t?St i^nd honour him, by taking delight in the Obedience he hath enjoined us, and teftifying,by our Pradice^th^twe efteem the Service of fo liberal aMa- ller our moft reafonable Duty, and perfed Freedom. Altho' therefore our Lips ought to kt forth thePraifes of the Lord, and his Kindnefs (hould ever be in our Mouthsj Yet are thofe Praifes never fet forth efFedu- slly , yet is that Kindnefs never acknowledged as it ought, except our Lives and every A'Siion publi/H
ic.
it. The Profeffions of Gratitude are of no confidera- tion in any cafe^ farther than they exprefs the inward Sentiments of the Heart. That Heart cannot be truly grateful^ which does not labour and ftudy, by all pro- per Means, to approve it felf to the Perfon, whole Debtor it is. And how this is to be done to Almighty God, his own Word hath informed us ; by declaiing, that the Man who truly huncurs bim will or- der his Converfation aright '^ that they whO n^i^^- 23- love him will give Teftimony of their Af- J^hnxiv, is, fedion, by keeping his Commandments ; that the Goodnefs and Forbearance of God does (in its natural and defigned Tendency'both ) P^°^- ii-4* lead to Repentance : th3.tkeWQnconJlra ins Men ^ „ - to live no longer to tbemjelves^ but to him ivho hath done jo great things for them*