avail thee. No doubt the voluntary works be good and ought to be done;
but yet they must be so done, that by their occasion the necessary works
and the works of mercy be not decayed and forgotten. If you will build a
glorious church unto God, see first yourself to be in charity with your
neighbours, and suffer not them to be offended by your works. Then, when
ye come into your parish-church; you bring with you the holy temple of
God; as St. Paul saith, "You yourselves be the very holy temples of God:"
and Christ saith by his prophet, "In you will I rest, and intend to make
my mansion and abiding-place." Again, if you list to gild and paint
Christ in your churches, and honour him in vestments, see that before
your eyes the poor people die not for lack of meat, drink, and clothing.
Then do you deck the very true temple of God, and honour him in rich
vestures that will never be worn, and so forth use yourselves according
unto the commandments: and then, finally, set up your candles, and they
will report what a glorious light remaineth in your hearts; for it is not
fitting to see a dead man light candles. Then, I say, go your
pilgrimages, build your material churches, do all your voluntary works;
and they will then represent you unto God, and testify with you, that you
have provided him a glorious place in your hearts. But beware, I say
again, that you do not run so far in your voluntary works, that ye do
quite forget your necessary works of mercy, which you are bound to keep:
you must have ever a good respect unto the best and worthiest works
toward God to be done first and with more efficacy, and the other to be
done secondarily. Thus if you do, with the other that I have spoken of
before, ye may come according to the tenor of your cards, and offer your
oblations and prayers to our Lord Jesus Christ, who will both hear and
accept them to your everlasting joy and glory: to the which he bring us,
and all those whom he suffered death for. Amen.