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But I add the third, that there must be a renewing of this: for though the resolution be well built, yet to make it constant, it must still be renewed. For there are some works, which must have a third and fourth hand to go over them, or else they will fall, and moulder away: ⟨p. 119⟩And this is the nature of our resolution also, it is not the resolution of a day or two, that will serve the turn, for the nature of man is subject to such weakness, that except our resolutions be gone over and over again, they shrink and come to nothing. Therefore the thing that caseth unconstancy, is one of these three: either weakness of reason that sets thee on work, or weakness of the inclination and desire, or else, not renewing of this. Now when you have found out the causes of weakness, you may easily find out the means to make you resolute in well doing. As

But I adde the third, that there must be a renewing of this: for though the resolution bee well built, yet to make it constant, it must still be renewed. For there are some workes, which must have a third and fourth hand to goe over them, or else they will fall, and moulder away: ⟨p. 119⟩And this is the nature of our resolution also, it is not the resolution of a day or two, that will serue the turne, for the nature of man is subject to such weakenesse, that except our resolutions bee gone over and over againe, they shrinke and come to nothing. Therefore the thing that caseth unconstancy, is one of these three: either weakenesse of reason that sets thee on worke, or weakenesse of the inclination and desire, or else, not renewing of this. Now when you have found out the causes of weaknesse, you may easily finde out the meanes to make you resolute in well doing. As

First, Labour to get strong reasons for what you resolve on. The want of this was the cause of the mutability of the second ground. It wanted depth of earth: that is, the seed was good, and the earth was good, but it was not deep enough, and the strength of the Sun caused it to wither away. So when we shall have good purposes and resolutions, and they have not root enough, that is, when he hath not well examined the thing, so as to be fully convinced of the thing that he undertakes, he is apt to be inconstant in it. And this was the reason of Eves inconstancy, because she considered not the bottom that she was built upon. On the other side, the Woman of Canaan when she had fixed her faith upon a good ground, she would not be beaten off: though she could not answer the objection, yet she would not be plucked off. Thou art the Messiah, and therefore thou