82 THE FORM OF THE GOSPEL. we might be justified. So the use of water is a condition of being made'clean, so coming to the fire is a condition of being warmed, so the putting on a garment is a condition of being clothed, receiving a sealed pardon is the condition of aprisoner's release, committing the body to aphysician is thecondition of a sick or dying man's being healed : And, in this sense, faith is called a condition of our interest in Christ, by the assembly of divines, in their larger catechism under the question, " How is the grace of God manifested in the second covenant ? Answ. The grace of God is manifested in the second covenant, in that he freely provideth and offereth to sinners a Mediator, and life and salvation by him, and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in him, promiseth and giveth his holy Spirit to all his elect, to work in them that faith with all other saving graces, and to enable them unto all holy obedience, as the evidence of the truth of their faith and thankfulness to God, and as the way which he bath appointed to salvation." Nor can I see any sufficient reason why the grace of faith, as a blessingconferred, maybe called thecondition of a follow- ing blessing, and yet faith, considered as a duty, may not be called a condition of the same blessing, since both the habit and the act of faith, are the effects of divinegrace working in us and by us-; and where faith is proposed as a duty, it is represented more evidently in a conditional way, than where it is mentioned as a mere blessing. And upon the same account, holiness and perseverance may be called the conditions of our complete salva- tion in heaven, because holiness and perseverance are foregoing blessings and duties, and complete salvation- in heaven is the final privilege ; Heb. xii. 14. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord; Mat. xxiv. 13. Ike that endures to the end shall be saved. Nor Both Doctor Owen, nor other moderate writers in this controversy, refuse the use of the word condition in such a sense. What I have said concerning the various blessings of the gospel or new covenant, may be applied also to the sealsor sym- bols of it, baptism and the Lord's-supper. These are seals on God's part, which he hath appointed for the confirmation of our faith, by the help ofour senses, and that he might give us, as it were, a real pledgeof the performance of his promises. Thus Abraham received circumcision a seal ofthe righteousnessoffaith; Rom. iv. 11. Titus we receive baptism as a seal of our rege- neration by the holy Spirit : Thus theLord's supper as a seal of our pardon and life by the crucifixion and deathof Christ. But as great privileges as they are, thus granted to us, we must re- member they are also duties to be performed by us, and are seal on our part ofour engagement to be the Lord's. Nor have we any reason to expect the comforts that arise from these sealed
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