Chapter 5: Showing That Things to Come Are a Believer's

And so I slide into the second part of the text, things to come are yours: here is portion enough! It is a great comfort that when things present are taken away, yet things to come are ours. Methinks, the very naming this word, things to come, should make the spirits of a Christian revive. It is a sweet word; our happiness is in reversion, the best is behind, all is not yet come that is promised. Truly, if we had nothing but what we have here, we were miserable; here are disgraces, martyrdoms; we must taste some of that gall and vinegar which Jesus Christ drank upon the cross: but O Christian, be of good cheer, there is something to come: the best part of your portion is yet unpaid. All things to come are yours. God deals with us, as a merchant, that shows the worst piece of cloth first. We meet sometimes with coarse usage in the world, that piece which is of the finest spinning, is kept till we come at heaven. It is true, God does checker his work in this life, a white spot with a black; he gives us something to sweeten our pilgrimage here, the prelibations and tastes of his love; these are the earnest and first-fruits, but what is this to that which is to come? Now we are the sons of God (1 John 3:2). But it does not yet appear what we shall be: expect that God should keep his best wine till last; things to come are yours.