Devour me, devour me!

(Thomas Brooks, "Heaven on Earth" 1667)

Assurance will sweeten the thoughts of death--
and all the aches, pains, weaknesses, sicknesses,
and diseases--which are the forerunners of death;
yes, it will make a man look and long for death.

Nazianzen said the of king of terrors, "Devour me,
devour me! Death cures all diseases, the aching
head, and the unbelieving heart!"

Assurance makes a man smile upon the king
of terrors. The assured soul knows that death
shall be the funeral of . . .
  all his sins,
  all his sorrows,
  all his afflictions,
  all his temptations.

He knows that death shall be the resurrection of
his joys. He knows that death is both an outlet
and an inlet; an outlet to sin; and an inlet to the
soul's clear, full, and constant enjoyment of God!
And this makes the assured soul to sing it sweetly
out, "O death, where is your sting? O grave, where
is your victory? "I desire to depart and be with
Christ, which is better by far!" "Make haste, my
beloved." "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!"

Now death is more desirable than life. Now says
the soul, "let him fear death, who is averse to go
to Christ."

The Persians had a certain day in the year, in which
they used to kill all serpents and venomous creatures.
The assured Christian knows that the day of death will
be such a day to him--and that makes death lovely and
desirable. He knows that sin was the midwife which
brought death into the world; and that death shall be
the grave to bury sin. And therefore death is not a
terror--but a delight unto him. He fears it not as an
enemy--but welcomes it as a friend.