M. The internal part is the first and chief part of their Duty, without which the external is not their Duty, but their great Sin. It is the Duty of Heathens to Believe and be baptized, but not to be baptized till they believe. It is the Duty of Candidates for the Ministry, to get Ability and Ordination and to officiate. But not to officiate before they get Ability and Ordination. It is the Duty of every Man to believe the Truth of the Gospel, and to profess that belief: But to say he believeth, when he doth not, is Hypocrisy and Lying. It is a slothful Man's Duty to rise and dress him, and go to his Work; but not to work in Bed, or go abroad Naked. Men that need Marriage must Marry, and then liberis operam dare, but not to do this before they Marry. So Persons that are unfit for the Sacrament must be fit, and then receive it, but not before they are fit. Now if you can force them by a Gaol out of Ignorance, unbelief and ungodliness, it will be a very charitable work: Otherwise you force them upon Sacrilege and Profanation to their Damnation. Why else doth the Common-Prayer Book persuade the Blasphemers and hinderers of God's ⟨p. 148⟩Word, and the uncharitable not to come to that Holy Table, lest the Devil enter into them as he did into Judas, and fill them with all unrighteousness to the destruction of Body and Soul.
M. The internal part is the first and chief part of their Duty, without which the external is not their Duty, but their great Sin. It is the Duty of Heathens to Believe and be baptized, but not to be baptized till they believe. It is the Duty of Candidates for the Ministry, to get Ability and Ordination and to officiate. But not to officiate before they get Ability and Ordination. It is the Duty of every Man to believe the Truth of the Gospel, and to profess that belief: But to say he believeth, when he doth not, is Hypocrisie and Lying. It is a sloathful Man's Duty to rise and dress him, and go to his Work; but not to work in Bed, or go abroad Naked. Men that need Marriage must Marry, and then liberis operam dare, but not to do this before they Marry. So Persons that are unfit for the Sacrament must be fit, and then receive it, but not before they are fit. Now if you can force them by a Gaol out of Ignorance, unbelief and ungodliness, it will be a very charitable work: Otherwise you force them upon Sacriledge and Profanation to their Damnation. Why else doth the Common-Prayer Book perswade the Blasphemers and hinderers of God's ⟨p. 148⟩Word, and the uncharitable not to come to that Holy Table, lest the Devil enter into them as he did into Judas, and fill them with all unrighteousness to the destruction of Body and Soul.
