302 Of Godlinefs. BERM. worth, the molt excellent of all Beings de.. VIII. mands it of us. Gratitude is a kind of love 1--v"--j which confiders the object nòt only as ex- cellent in himfelf, but as benefaEor to us. It is an affection which naturally arifes in the mind to any being who difcovers kind in. tentions towards us. And as God is conti- nually preventing us with his loving-kind- nefs, and heaping favours upon us, without any antecedent obligation laid upon him by us, this is one part of the homage he very reafonably requires, Thefe are the affeâions effentially com- prehended in godlinefs, or the duty which God indifpenfably requires in every condition of human nature, neceffatily refulting from the manifeftations of lüs glorious perfee&ions, and his relations to us. However dark the intimations be which we have of his nature and effence, if we can difcover him to be the independent, neceffarily exifting, infinitely powerful, wife, and good, creator, preferver, and governor of all things, thefe contain the ftrongeft motives ofaffedion, an d cl aim for him our higheft efteem and reverence, the molt intenfe unequalled defire and delight, a deli- berate preference of him to every other good, with
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