Thomas Vincent on how to personally covenant with God

Covenanting with God personally is a duty for all Christians, as is clear from texts such as Jeremiah 50:5: “They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.”

In the text below - taken from his work “Words Whereby We May Be Saved” (now available on Amazon) - Thomas Vincent shows how you may personally covenant with the Lord yourself.

God has put his hand and seal to the covenant which he has made through his Son with you, and you should put your hand to the covenant and engage yourselves unto the Lord.  You were dedicated to the Lord by your parents when you were baptized, then you understood not what was done; now you are arrived to years of understanding, you should make it your own act, and dedicate yourselves to the Lord – and the more solemnly you enter into covenant with God, the more strong obligation it may be upon you to walk closely with God all your days.

Some have directed to do it under handwriting, subscribing the name, and some have put words into your mouths, which you may do it, [and] if you are not so well able to express the terms yourselves, you have this done in Mr. Guthry’s and Mr. Allen’s books. If those books are not at hand, I shall set before you this platform, which you may make use of in entering solemnly into covenant with God.

I, A.B., do acknowledge myself to be the creature and subject of the great and glorious majesty of heaven and earth, in whom I live, move, and have my being, and from whom I receive every good thing which I receive; and therefore am obliged to conform my mind, will and affections, to order my words, ways and whole conversation according to his most wise and good, most righteous and reasonable laws.

Besides which natural obligation, however born in sin, and thereby dis-enabled, yet being born in the church, and baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and by my parents dedicated unto God when I was an infant; I am further obliged by covenant to be the servant of the Lord. 

But having proved a rebel and traitor against the highest majesty, breaking his laws, and covenant-ties which have been upon me, spending years of my life in a state of strangeness and enmity to God, in the service of the devil and my own lusts, I do now solemnly renew my covenant with God, that the breach may be made up which sin has made between God and my soul.

Being in the first place convinced of the guilt of my sins, whereby I have affronted and offended the highest majesty, whose justice must be satisfied; and withal convinced of my own utter inability to make the least satisfaction either by doing or suffering, and that my righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and therefore altogether insufficient to procure for me the pardon of sin, the favor of God, and the peace of conscience; as also fully persuaded that no mere creature is able to give unto me any help and relief in this case. 

And being informed by the Word of God what the Lord Jesus is, has done, and suffered for poor sinners, that there is no name under heaven given amongst men whereby we can be saved, but only the name of Jesus Christ; that he is able to save all them unto the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing be ever liveth to make intercession for them; that he is a merciful and faithful high-priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people; that whosoever comes unto him, he will in no wise cast out – and finding a promise in the covenant of grace that God will be merciful unto our unrighteousness, and that our sins and iniquities he will remember no more; which covenant is of full force through the death of Christ the testator thereof; and having Christ set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, and his righteousness declared for the remission of sins which are past through the forbearance of God; and this Christ freely tendered unto me, and being invited earnestly, yea entreated that I would be reconciled unto God through him; and by the Spirit being persuaded of the truth of these things, and hereby encouraged to apply myself unto Christ, and the promises through him unto myself.

I do now (grieving that I have offended God, groaning under the burden of sin, renouncing all my own righteousness, hungering after the Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness) upon the bended knees of my soul come unto him, and cast myself wholly upon him; I choose him for my only advocate to plead my cause in the court of heaven, to procure for me pardon and reconciliation, that being justified by faith, I may have peace with God through my dear Lord Jesus Christ.
Next, repenting from the bottom of my heart of my sins, grieving that I have such a sinful nature, such a deceitful heart, that I have so adulterated my affections, and gone a whoring from God to the creatures, that I have so indulged my flesh, and satisfied its irregular desires, that I have given ear to the devil, and complied as I have done with his temptations.

I now renounce all allegiance and service to the world, to the flesh, and to the devil, these enemies of the Lord, and of my peace, which war against my master, and against my own soul; covenanting and promising never to give away my heart anymore from the Lord unto any person or thing in the world; to refuse the world for my portion and chief happiness; to deny my flesh its sinful desires and demands; to resist the devil and his temptations; not to live and allow myself in any known sin, and to make use of all the known means which the Lord has prescribed for the crucifying of the world, for the mortifying and utter extirpation of sin, for the resisting and overcoming the devil. 

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 meantime looking upon those disallowed miscarriages contrary to the settled bent and resolution of my heart, as insufficient to make my covenant void.

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 also 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 the relation of a servant and a son, or daughter, which he has called me unto. I put myself under his wing, and commit myself 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 humbly shall expect from him protection and provision in his way and work, correction, audience of prayer, and the fulfilling of all those promises unto me, which he has made unto his children.

Moreover, being persuaded that none can come unto the Father, but by the Son; nor share in any spiritual privilege, but through Christ's death and intercession, and being persuaded of the infinite amiableness of Christ’s person, the greatness of his love and affection unto the children of men, as also of his infinite desirableness in regard of those offices, and relations which he hath vouchsafed to take upon him, and enter into for the good of his people. I do avouch the Lord Jesus Christ to be my only Savior, and choose him in all his offices and relations. 

I choose Christ to be my high priest, to intercede, and procure for me daily pardon, access unto God, acceptance of my person and service, audience of my prayers, and supply of all my wants. I choose Christ to be my prophet, to teach me by his Word and Spirit the will of the Father. I choose Christ to be my king to rule and govern me, to command my whole man into the obedience of himself. I choose Christ to be my captain, to go before me, and to tread down my spiritual enemies under my feet. I choose Christ to be my friend and brother, to counsel and advise me, to stand by me in all the difficulties and straights of my life. I choose Christ to be my husband and beloved, humbly accepting of this near and sweet relation which he calls me unto. 

I join and espouse myself unto the Lord Jesus; and do promise to be for him only, and with full purpose of heart to cleave unto him, to love, honor and serve him, never to deny nor leave him whatever reproaches and distresses I may meet also for his sake; though persecution should arise, and that even unto death, I do promise to own his name, and cause, and truths, and ways, so long as I have breath in my body. But knowing that I am utterly insufficient to do any of these things in my own strength, therefore upon the knees of my soul, I earnestly beseech that I may have strength for all these from him alone.

Further, because God my Father is invisible to the eye of sense, and incomprehensible by the grasp of reason; and because my dearest Lord Jesus Christ, who alone has declared him, in regard of his bodily presence is now in heaven, absent from his people; and because whatever spiritual light or life, grace, comfort, or spiritual communion with the Father, and with his Son, is vouchsafed unto the people of God, it is by the Holy Spirit, who is appointed by office hereunto, and graciously promised unto them in the Word.

Therefore I avouch and choose the Holy Spirit to be my teacher and guide, to be my sanctifier and Comforter, to help my infirmities in duties; to strengthen me with might in my inner man against sin and Satan’s temptations; to cleanse me from all filthiness of flesh and spirit; to heal me of all my spiritual distempers; to revive me under all my faintings; to supply me with all graces as to kind and measure, as shall be needful for me in my place and work; to testify God’s love to my soul; to give me earnests of glory, and to seal me up unto the day of redemption: And O that I might have the presence and abode of the Spirit of God with me, and never grieve, quench, resist, and drive away the Spirit anymore!

Also, because the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, indited by the Holy Spirit, the epistle of Jesus Christ, wherein he hath given notice of his love and will; because they are the only sufficient, and in themselves a perfect rule for faith and a holy life, and so fully do declare the way and means unto everlasting happiness: Therefore I choose the Word of God to be the rule of my faith and life; and the ordinances of God therein prescribed to be the means of my acquaintance and converse with my God so far as I am capable of, and he shall vouchsafe; and to be the means also of preparing of me for the full and perfect enjoyment of him beyond my present capacity.

And, because the ordinances are but dark glasses to see the Lord in; because ignorance and unbelief do exceedingly veil God from mine eyes, flesh and corruption do damp my love to God, and my spiritual joy in him, and interrupt my communion with him; because of the sins, sorrows, temptations, and afflictions which I cannot be wholly free from, and therefore cannot be perfectly happy here in this world; and having life and immortality brought to light by the gospel; a discovery and promise of eternal life made unto me in the Word, and withal a command of my Lord, to lay up my treasure in heaven.

Therefore I choose heaven for my treasure and inheritance, forever to live there in the company of all the holy angels and saints, in the blessed sight, love, and enjoyment of the infinitely blessed God, to see and share in the glory of my dearest Lord Jesus Christ, whither I hope my soul shall be transported by the angels, so soon as it is separated from my body; and that my vile body, when awakened and raised in the morning of Christ’s coming, shall be fashioned like unto Christ’s most beautiful and glorious body, and both inherit the kingdom prepared and promised by my Father.

Lastly, being persuaded of my duty, and encouraged by God's promise of assistance and acceptance; I now dedicate and deliver up myself fully, freely, and forever unto the Lord; I yield and resign up my soul with all its powers and faculties; my body with all its senses and members to be the instruments of righteousness unto God.

I resign up my mind to think upon the Lord, and those things which concern his interest and glory, to receive, embrace and maintain his truths. I resign up my memory, to be a storehouse and receptacle chiefly of the great things which do belong to his kingdom, and other things of a more inferior rank, as they may have a reference unto his glory. I resign up my conscience to receive light and purity from his Word and Spirit, and desire that it may act faithfully as the Lord’s deputy. I resign up my will unto the will of God, to submit to his precepts, to embrace his promises, to oppose what he has forbidden, to comply with all the dispensations of his providence towards me, to be willing that I should be, and do, and bear, and choose and lose what God would have me. 

I resign up my heart and affections to fear and reverence the Lord, to believe and trust in the Lord, to desire and seek after the Lord, to love and delight in the Lord, and desire to put them all under his government, and to have them exercised according to his will. I resign up my fancy to be governed and employed by my reason in the service of my master. I resign up my sensual appetite after meat and drink, sleep, and any pleasures to be subservient to my rational appetite, and no further to have satisfaction, than will tend to the glory of the Lord. I resign up my hands to work for God, my feet to walk for God, my ears to hear for God, my eyes to see for God, my tongue to speak for God. 

I resign up all my graces, all my gifts, all my talents, to be used for the glory of my Lord and Master; and my whole man to be ruled and governed by his laws: Promising, though my flesh do contradict and rebel, that I will endeavor to order my whole conversation according to his Word; humbly looking up to him for strength so to do, that I may be enabled by him to every duty. 

And now I look upon myself no longer my own, or that anything I have is at my own disposal; but I wholly belong unto the Lord. And therefore, blessing, and praising, and giving thanks unto the Lord, for vouchsafing to enter into covenant with me, and inclining my heart to enter into covenant with him; bending my neck under the feet of the most glorious Jehovah, I subscribe myself,


Witness my Hand and Seal.
The devoted Servant of the Lord,

A. B.