_Fourthly_, Our LORD’s turning water into wine, and keeping the best until last, may shew forth the glory of the latter days of his marriage feast with his church. Great things GOD has done already, whereat millions of saints have rejoiced, and do yet rejoice. Great things GOD is doing now, but yet, my brethren, we shall see greater things than these. It is meet, right, and our bounden duty, to give thanks unto GOD, even the Father; for many righteous men have desired to see the things which we see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things which we hear, and have not heard them. But still there are more excellent things behind. Glorious things are spoken of these times, “when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” There is a general expectation among the people of GOD, when the partition-wall between _Jew_ and _Gentile_ shall be broken down, and all _Israel_ be saved. Happy those who live when GOD does this. They shall see _Satan_, like lightning, fall from heaven. They shall not weep, as the _Jews_ did at the building of the second temple. No, they shall rejoice with exceeding great joy. For all the former glory of the christian church shall be nothing in comparison of that glory which shall excel. Then shall they cry out with the governor of the feast, “thou hast kept thy good wine until now!”
_Fifthly_, and lastly, This shews us the happiness of that blessed state, when we shall all sit together at the marriage supper of the Lamb, and drink of the new wine in his eternal and glorious kingdom!
The rewards which JESUS CHRIST confers on his faithful servants, and the comforts of his love wherewith he comforts them, whilst pilgrims here on earth, are often so exceeding great, that was it not promised, it were almost presumption for them to hope for any reward hereafter. But, my brethren, all the manifestations of GOD that we can possibly be favoured with here, when compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us, are no more than a drop of water when compared with an unbounded ocean. Though CHRIST frequently fills his saints even to the brim, yet their corruptible bodies weigh down their souls, and cause them to cry, “Who shall deliver us from these bodies of death?” These earthly tabernacles can hold no more: But, blessed be GOD, these earthly tabernacles are to be dissolved; this corruptible is to put on incorruption; this mortal is to put on immortality: and when GOD shall cause all his glory to pass before us, then shall we cry out, LORD, thou hast kept thy good wine until now. We have drank deeply of thy spirit; we have heard glorious things spoken of this thy city, O GOD! but we now find, that not the half, not the thousandth part hath been told us. O the invisible realities of the world of faith! Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of the greatest saint to conceive how CHRIST will shew forth his glory there! St. _Paul_, who was carried up into the third heavens, could give us little or no account of it. And well he might not――for he heard and saw such things as is not possible for a man cloathed with flesh and blood to utter. Whilst I am thinking, and only speaking of those things unto you, I am almost carried beyond myself. Methinks, I now receive some little foretastes of that new wine which I hope to drink with you in the heavenly kingdom for ever and ever.
And wherefore do you think I have been saying these things? Many, perhaps, may be ready to say, To manifest thy own vain-glory. But it is a small matter with me to be judged of man’s judgment. He that judgeth me is the LORD. He knows that I have spoken of his miracle, only for the same end for which he at first performed it, and which I at first proposed, that is, “to shew forth his glory,” that you also may be brought to believe on him.
Did I come to preach myself, and not CHRIST JESUS my LORD, I would come to you, not in this plainness of speech, but with the enticing words of man’s wisdom. Did I desire to please natural men, I need not preach here in the wilderness. I hope my heart aims at nothing else, than what our LORD’s great fore-runner aimed at, and which ought to be the business of every gospel minister, that is, to point out to you the God-man CHRIST JESUS. “Behold then (by faith behold) the Lamb of GOD, who taketh away the sins of the world.” Look unto him, and be saved. You have heard how he manifested, and will yet manifest his glory to true believers; and why then, O sinners, will you not believe in him? I say, O sinners, for now I have spoken to the saints, I have many things to say to you. And may GOD give you all an hearing ear, and an obedient heart!