570 THE WORD oF GOD COMPARED TO A GLASS. Book III. The Word and Grace of God may be compared to Leaven in three or four Con– fide rations. PAR ABLE. I. LEAVEN is of a diffu!ive Qt>ality, it infufes itfelf in– to every Part, till the whole Lump be leavened. PARALLEL. I. THE Word and Grace of God is of a diffufive Nature, it will where it is received in a fpiritual Senfe, leaven every Faculty of the Soul, until the whole Man, Body and Spirit be leavened therewith. By three Meafures of Meal, fame underftand the Body, Soul and Spirit to be meant. I!. Leaven is of an affimilating I!. The Word of God, where it is in Truth Qrality,' it turn5 the Meal in which received, fuch is the affimilating Nature thereof, it is hid into its own Nature. doth convert by its powerful Operation the whole Soul into its own Likencfs, it changes the evil Q_.Jaliries thereof, and works divine and fpiritual Q1alities in the room of them, making a glorious and vi!ible Change in the Heart and Life. Ill. 'l he Woman took the Leaven Ill. The Word of God muft be received into and hid it in the Meal. Leaven the Heart, it muft be hid as it were there like muft be hid, that fo it may kaven Seed that is covered in the Earth, that fo it may the M eal the better. have its bleffed EffeEt in order to leaven the Soul IV. Leaven fecretly and invi!i– bly worketh and altereth the Meal, and maketh a Change therein, turning of it into Dough. V. Leaven doth not change the whole three Meafures of Meal all at once, but it accomplilhes its Work by degrees. in a fpiritual Senfe the better: Thy fYord have 1 hid in my Heart, Pfal. cxix. 9· IV. So the Workings •nd Operations of God's Word are fecret and invi!ible; our Savior alludes to this, when he compares the Work of the Spirit in Regeneration to the Wind, as is well obferved, the Word and Spirit work fecretly, their Opera– tions are invi!ible to the outward Eye. V. So the Word and Grace of God, works not that blelfed Change in the Soul all at one Inflant; but Grace is carried on in Believers by degrees. I deny not, but at the firft lnfu!ion of Grace or AEt of Faith, a Man is really and aEtually jufti– fied; yet the \Vork of Conver!ion, and Holinefs is gradually carried on, and may be a great while before it be perfeEted. VI. A little Leavm will leaven VI. So a fmall Qt>antity, or but a Dram of the whole Lump, I Cor. v. 6. Gal. tru~ Grace will fpiritually leaven and change the v. 9· whoJ·e Man; hence Grace in the Beginning is compared to a Grain of Mujlard Seed. PAR ABLE. 1. LEAVEN is taken in the Scripture in an evil Senfe for Hypocrify, evil DoEtrine, Ma– lice and Wickednefs, from that four Q1ality that is in it. D IS PAR IT Y. I. THE Word of God hath no unpleafant or fouring Quality in it, but contrariwife it is the only Means through the Spirit to purge out that old Leaven, whether it be evil DoEtrine, Hy– pocrify, Malice, or Wickednefs, that fourerh and corrupteth the whole Man. II. This may further inform us, touching theNature of the Word and Grace of God. And from hence we may be able to make fome Judgment, whother Conver!ion be truly wrought in our Souls ? Or whether the Kingdom of God, where Chri!l: fpi– ritually rules, which is Righteoufnefs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Spmt, be 10 Truth begun in us or not? THE WORD OF GOD COMPARED TO A GLASS. Beholding os in a Glafs the Glory of the Lord; and like unto a Man, beholding his natural Face in a Glafs, 2 Cor. i1i. x8. JaniCs i. 23. BERNARD underftands by Glafs here, to be meant the Gofpel, with divers others; and_ we fee no Caufe to queftion this Expo!irion. PARALLEL.
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