The dirty lane

(Brooks, "Words of counsel to a dear dying friend")

"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!