Consider the Benefits of the Times (2)

Now Christ revealed challenges us to acknowledge these blessed times. What should all this do but stir us up to know the time of our visitation, and to bless God, who has reserved us for these places and countries and for this time of glorious gospel light. Now we live under the gospel, by which ‘with open face (2 Cor. 3:18) we see the glory of the mercy of God in Christ, the 'unsearchable riches' (Eph. 3:8) of Christ opened to us. And together with the gospel goes the Spirit. And those thousands that belong to God are being changed, by the blessing of God, from glory to glory.
Certainly, if we share in the good of the times, we will have hearts to thank God and to walk in ways corresponding to it. Since we have the glorious gospel, we will walk gloriously and not dishonour so glorious a gospel by base and fruitless lives. Let us remember the times: if we are no better for these glorious times, if the veil is not taken away, we are under a fearful judgment. 'The god of this world has blinded our eyes' (2 Cor. 4:4).
Let us take heed not to while away our time, these precious times and blessed opportunities. If we do not labour to get out of the state of nature and into the state of grace, and so to be changed from glory to glory, God in justice will curse the means we have, that in hearing we will not hear, and seeing we will not see, and he will secretly and imperceptibly harden our hearts. It is the curse of all curses to grow worse and duller when we have so much opportunity.
Let us labour for hearts that know the mercies of God in Christ, and labour to be transformed and moulded into this gospel every day more and more.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Glorious Freedom, pp. 186-87 [200-02]
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