And with good reason ought he to be much more in his interior, than he exteriorly appears; because he who beholds us is God, of whom we ought exceedingly to stand in awe, wherever we are, and like angels walk pure in his sight.
We ought every day to renew our resolution, and excite ourselves to fervour, as if it were the first day of our conversion, and to say:
Help me, O Lord God, in my good resolution, and in thy holy service, and give me grace now this day perfectly to begin; for what I have hitherto done, is nothing.
2. According as our resolution is, will the progress of our advancement be; and he had need of much diligence who would advance much.
Now if he that makes a strong resolution often fails: what will he do who seldom or but weakly resolves?
The falling off from our resolution happens divers ways: and a small omission in our exercises seldom passeth without some loss.
The resolutions of the just depend on the grace of God, rather than on their own wisdom: and in whom they always put their trust, whatever they take in hand.
For man proposes, but God disposes: nor is the way of man in his own hands.
3. If for piety's sake, or with a design to the profit of our brother, we sometimes omit our accustomed exercises, it may afterwards be easily recovered.