stir up ourselves to greater fervour, as though this were the first day of our conversion; and to say,
"Help me, my God! in this my good purpose, and in Thy holy service; and grant that I may now this day begin perfectly; for that which I have done hitherto is as nothing."
2. According to our purpose shall be the success of our spiritual profiting; and much diligence is necessary to him that will profit much.
And if he that firmly purposeth often faileth, what shall he do that seldom or but weakly purposeth anything?
Yet in various ways it happens that we forsake our purpose, and a slight omission of our spiritual exercises is not without loss to our souls.
The purpose of just men depends not upon their own wisdom, but upon God's grace; on whom they rely always for what they take in hand.
For man proposes, but God disposes; neither is the way of man in himself.
3. If an accustomed exercise be sometimes omitted, either for some act of piety, or profit to a brother, it may easily be recovered again.
But if, out of weariness or carelessness, we lightly omit it, it is very blameworthy, and will be felt to be hurtful. Do the best we can, we shall still too easily fail in many things.
Yet must we always have some fixed purpose, and especially against those sins which do most of all hinder us.
We must diligently search into, and set in order both our outward and inward things, because both
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