others round about him, and to God also. These cast a savour that
allures a soul to seek them, and being possessed of them, they cast a
sweet smell abroad to all that are round about, and even as high as
heaven. A soul that hath these planted in it, and growing out of it, is as
a garden enclosed to God. These fruits are both pleasant and sweet to the
soul that eats them, and as the pleasantness of the apple allured man to
taste it and sin, so the beauty and sweetness of these fruits of the
Spirit draw the spirit of a man after them. He hath found the savour, and
seen the beauty, and this allures him to taste them, and then he invites
the well beloved to come and taste also, to eat of these fruits with him.
We might instance this in many things. A Christian relishes more sweetness
in temperance, in beating down his body, and bringing it into subjection,
in abstaining from fleshly lusts, than a carnal man tastes in the most
exquisite pleasures that the world can afford. A Christian savours a
sweetness in meekness and long suffering, he hath more delight in
forgiving, and forbearing, and praying for them that wrong him, than a
natural man hath in the accomplishing of the most greedy desires of
revenge. O what beauty hath gentleness, goodness, and patience, in his
eye! What sweetness is in the love of God to his taste! How ravishing is
the joy of the Holy Ghost! How contenting that peace that passeth
understanding! These are things of the Spirit that he minds and savours.
Know, Christians, that it is to this ye are called, to mind these things
most, and to seek them most. Beware lest the deceitfulness of sin entice
you, through the treacherous and deceitful lusts that are yet living in
your members. If you indeed mind these things, and, out of the
apprehension of the beauty and savour of the sweetness and smell of the
fragrancy of them, would be content to quit all your corrupt lusts, for to
be possessed of them, then you are on that blessed and happy side of this
great and fundamental division of men, you have indeed the privilege(178)
of all others who are not renewed. Whatever be your condition in the
world, you are of the Spirit, and this is better than to be rich, wise,
great, and honourable. God hath not given you such things as the world go
mad after, but envy them not, he hath given you better things, more real
and substantial things, that make you far better and more excellent.

But then, this difference, as it is t