The Civet Box

“After the worship of the Lords Day, and especially after the Lord’s Supper, we should contiiitie 17i devotion, and make the whole day a post-com7mi7iio7i. As civet boxes retai7i their sce7it whe7i the civet is take7i out, so, whe7i the act of visible co77ii7iu7iio7i is over, our thoughts and discourse a7id actio7is should still savour of the sole77i7iity. Certai7ily it is an a7gu77ie7it of much weak7iess to be all for flashes a7td sudde7i

This retaining of their perfume by boxes and drawers in which sweet scents have been placed is a fragrant figure of the abiding nature of grace in a heart wherein it has once been stored up. If ordinances yield the influence designed by them, their savour will remain in our lives, and if our conversion be indeed a passing from death unto life, the effect of it be seen as long as we dwell among men.

We cannot come away from real communion with Christ without carrying some of the delightful odour of his good ointments. Grace will reveal itself by its fragrance if it be genuine, and that fragrance will be a perfunle of everlasting continuance, a sweetness indestructible. It should be said of every believer, in his measure, even as it is written of his Lord, “All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.” The hypocrite has a temporary perfume, with which he takes care to odorize himself when he goes into the outward sanctuary; but the true believer is, by grace, made inherently fragrant, and the heavenly spices have so thoroughly saturated his garments, that they shed their savour abroad even when he is engaged in his worldly calling, yea, as long as he lives, and wherever he goes.

Sweet Lord Jesus, do thou so anoint me that I may always bear about with me the fragrance of thine infinite perfections, and be a savour of life unto life among my neighbours.