They sow the wind▪ All Idolatrous worshippers that take much pains and are at great cost they do but sow the wind: How many Papists have we that dares not for their lives but rise at their hours that they have vowed, to rise at midnight to their beads, or very early, spend many hours every day at their beads, wear out their bodies by their fa∣sting, by their watching, deny themselves the use of the creatures, wear sackcloath, lie very hard, tire their bodies by pilgrimage, forsake their revenues, that that their pro∣geniters had left them, vow perpetual virginity, shut them∣selves up in Cloisters, what a deal of labor and toil is here to the flesh, and all this with conscienciousness, all this with a desire to honor God, and to afflict themselves for their sins? And yet this not having warrant from God being a will-worship, all this is but sowing the wind, they lose al their labor, cost, and charge, and all their thoughts, and devotions they are all lost.
[ 3] Thirdly, Such as are formal in the true Worship of God, as content themselves in the outward part of Gods Wor∣ship, having no power nor life of godliness in their service they perform: You have many that do things out of cu∣stom, content themselves in the deed done, dare not for their lives neglect Prayer, not one morning nor evening, nor at other times, and are often with Gods People in fa∣sting, or coming to hear the Word; but yet all this while being but formal, they not having the life and power of godliness in these duties, they do but sow the wind, they lose all their labor, and when they shall come upon their sick-beds, and death-beds, and desire comfort from what they have done, they shall find nothing but the wind to feed upon, all will be turned into wind, and they will have no sollid comfort for their souls to feed upon in the day of their distress.
[ 4] Fourthly, Those men sow the wind, who do all that they do out of vain glory, in hypocrisie, to set up themselves among others, spend a long time in prayer, hath admira∣ble