to die is gain

"For me to live is Christ, and to
die is gain" (Phil. 1:21).

Look upon your dying day as a gainful day.
There is  no gain compared to that which comes in by death.  A Christian gets more by death, than he does by life.  To be in Christ is very good--but to be with Christ is best of all, "I desire to depart and be with Christ,
which is better by far!" Phil. 1:23. It
was a mighty blessing for Christ to be with Paul on earth--but it

was the top of blessings for Paul to be with Christ in heaven! Seriously consider these things--

By death you shall gain incomparable crowns!

   A crown of life, Rev. 2:10; James 1:12;

   A crown of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:8;

   An incorruptible crown, 1 Cor. 9:24-25;

   A crown of glory, 1 Pet. 5:4.

There are no crowns compared to these crowns!

By death you  shall gain a glorious kingdom! "It is your Father's pleasure to give you a kingdom!" We must put off their rags of mortality--that
we may put on our robes of glory. There is no entering into paradise--but under the flaming sword of this angel, death--who stands at the gate. Death is the
dirty lane through which the saint passes . . .

  to a kingdom,

  to a great kingdom,

  to a glorious kingdom,

  to a peaceful kingdom,

  to an unshaken kingdom,

  to a durable kingdom,

  to a lasting kingdom, yes,

  to an everlasting kingdom!

Death is the dark, short way, through which the saints pass to the marriage-supper of the Lamb!

(Thomas Brooks, 1675, from "Words of counsel
to a dear dying friend,"
Public Domain as seen on Grace Gems.

Grace Gems has Brooks' comforting seven page letter, "Words of counsel to a dear
dying friend in it's entirety.")