January 2

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.—2 Peter 3:12.

To be weary of the body upon the pure account and reason of our hatred to sin, and longing desires after Jesus Christ, argues strongly grace in truth, and grace in strength; it is both the test of our sincerity, and measure of our attainment and maturity of grace, and upon both accounts highly desirable by all the people of God.

It is so great an evidence of the truth of grace, that the Scriptures have made it the descriptive periphrasis of a Christian: so we find it in 2 Timothy 4:8; the crown of life is there promised to all them that love the appearing of Christ, that is, those that love to think of it, that delight to steep their thoughts in subjects belonging to the other world, and cast many a yearning look that way: and they are described in the text, to be such as are "looking for and hasting to the coming of the day of God." Their earnest expectations and longings do not only put them upon making all the haste they can to be with Christ, but it makes the interposing time seem so tedious and slow, that with their utmost vehement wishes and desires, they do what they can to accelerate and hasten it. As in Rev. xxii.: "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." Lovers' hours, saith the proverb, are full of eternity. "O," said Mr. Rutherford, "that Christ would make long strides! O that he would fold up the heavens as a cloak, and shovel time and days out of the way!" Such desires as these can spring from none but gracious and renewed souls; for nature is wholly disaffected to a removal hence, upon such motives and considerations as these: if others wish at any time for death, it is but in a pet, a present passion, provoked by some intolerable anguish, or great distress of nature: but to look and long, and hasten to the other world, out of a weariness of sin, abhorring it more than death itself, the greatest of natural evils, and a real sight of things invisible by the eye of faith, without which it is impossible any man's heart should be thus framed and tempered—this belongs to those who are new creatures in Christ Jesus.

And as it evidenceth the truth, so also the strength and maturity of grace; for alas, how many thousands of gracious souls that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, are to be found quite below this temper of mind! O it is but here and there one among the Lord's own people, that have reached this height and eminence of faith and love! It is with the fruits of the Spirit, just as it is with the fruits of the earth; some are green and raw, others are ripe and mellow: the first stick fast on the branches, you may shake and shake again, and not one will drop; or as those fruits that grow in hedges, with their coats and integuments enwrapping them, such as nuts, you may try your strength upon them, and sooner break your nails, than disclose or separate them: so fast and close do their husks stick on them: but when time and the influences of heaven hath ripened them and brought to perfection, the apples drop into your hands without the least touch, and the nut falls out of its case of its own accord. So much more doth the soul part from its body, when matured, and come to its strength and vigor.

"Rivers to the ocean run, Nor stay in all their course; Fire ascending seeks the sun; Both speed them to their source: So a soul that's born of God Pants to view his glorious face, Upward tends to his abode, To rest in his embrace."