A Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practically resolvedA Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practicaly resolved

3. Be as diligent in and make as much Conscience of the Duties of the second Table, Righteousness and Mercy, in their place and order, as those of the first: Without this your Religion cannot be real, and then no wonder if men think it not real: Jam. 1.6. Pure Religion and undefiled in the sight of God, and the Father, is this, to visit the Fatherless, and the Widow, in their Affliction, &c. In the sight of God; God himself that searches the Hearts, yet having given men such a Law as may govern their outward as well as inward man, and influence them in those things which relate to their Neighbour, as well as which relate to himself, doth accordingly look to their outward Carriage toward men, as well as the inward respect they bear to him, and so expects the fruits of Righteousness in their Lives, as well as the root of Piety in their Hearts: That holy Principle he hath put within them is such as extends to their Conversation outwardly, and not to the inward frame of their Hearts alone, and so the reality of it in it self, must be evidenced by the power of it in its effects: Now if these external actings. (where opportunities and means are) are requisite to ascertain the Truth of Godliness in the Heart, as to its very being, we may be sure they are no less necessary as indications of it in the sight of men. The World, which is apt to traduce you as Hypocritical, or Fanatical in Religion, will be best confuted by your Carriage in those things which relate to themselves, and from which some benefit redounds to them. If men see you Just, and Righteous, and Merciful in your dealings with, and behaviour toward others, Helpful toward them that want you, Pitiful to them in their Misery, &c. what is in your Hearts and Minds they cannot see, but they will be more ready to judge well of it, because they see so good Effects of it; what they see, they will think is real because it is sensible. True indeed, the first place is due to the Moral Duties of Gods immediate Worship prescribed in the first Table, but yet those of the second must accompany them, or you will never be able to ⟨p. 55⟩prove the reality of your Christianity, or reasonableness of your Practice to your selves, and much less to others. They must and will judge of what is within, by that which appears without, of what they do not see (as your Faith and inward Holiness they do not) by that which they do see.