Words whereby we may be saved. By Thomas Vincent, sometime minister of Maudlins milk-street,…

And being persuaded of the power and interest, the subtlety and deceitfulness of these enemies, and withal sensible of my own imprudence, folly, weakness and inconstancy, I humbly and earnestly implore and beseech the highest Majesty, who is infinite in wisdom, power, and goodness, that he would give me counsel and discretion in the use and management of all means and helps that I may not neglect any, nor through sloth and imprudence suffer a lesser duty to jostle out a greater, that he would give me courage, strength and constancy in the maintaining my spiritual warfare against these my spiritual enemies unto my life's end. And if ever I should fall through unwatchfulness and weakness, (which the Lord grant I may never do) I do promise in the strength of the Lord to arise again by Faith and Repentance. And because of the Body of sin within me, and remaining corruptions, I shall be subject (during my abode here) unto daily failings and infirmities; I do promise to pray, watch and strive against them, beseeching the Lord to strengthen me herein, and grant that my sinful infirmities may be less every day than other; in the mean time looking upon those disallowed miscarriages contrary to the settled bent and resolution of my heart, as insufficient to make my Covenant void. ⟨p. 67⟩Furthermore, being convinced of the vanity, emptiness, and utter insufficiency of any or all the Creatures in the World, to make me happy, had I the most desirable enjoyment of them; and having a discovery of the infinitely blessed God made unto me in his Works, chiefly in his Word, as being the chief good of man, and withal a Promise in the Covenant of Grace that he will be our God, yea our Father through Christ, and that we shall be his people, his Sons and Daughters: I do here with deep veneration of Soul, and chief estimation of mind, choose the thrice Blessed Jehovah for my Portion and chief good, beyond all persons and things in this World; and do avouch him this day to be my God. I humbly accept of the relation of a Servant and a Son, or Daughter, which he hath called me unto. I put my self under his wing, and commit my self to his care and Tuition; and henceforth shall be bold through my dearest Lord to call him, and look upon him to be my God and Father;

And being perswaded of the power and interest, the subtilty and deceitfulness of these enemies, and withall sensible of my own imprudence, folly, weakness and inconstancy, I humbly and earnestly implore and beseech the highest Majesty, who is infinite in wisdom, power, and goodness, that he would give me counsel and discretion in the use and management of all means and helps that I may not neglect any, nor through sloth and imprudence suffer a lesser duty to justle out a greater, that he would give me courage, strength and constancy in the maintaining my spiritual warfare against these my spiritual enemies unto my lifes end. And if ever I should fall through unwatchfulness and weakness, (which the Lord grant I may never do) I do promise in the strength of the Lord to arise again by Faith and Repentance. And because of the Body of sin within me, and remaining corruptions, I shall be subject (during my abode here) unto daily failings and infirmities; I do promise to pray, watch and strive against them, beseeching the Lord to strengthen me herein, and grant that my sinful infirmities may be lesse every day than other; in the mean time looking upon those disallowed miscarriages contrary to the settled bent and resolution of my heart, as insufficient to make my Covenant void.