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A 'death' parable!
Spurgeon, THE DEATH OF THE CHRISTIAN
Let me tell you a parable--
Behold two men sat together in the same house,
when Death came to each of them.
He said to one, "You shall die." The man looked at him-
tears suffused his eyes, and tremblingly he said,
"O Death, I cannot, I will not die."
He sought out a physician, and said to him, "I am sick, for Death
has looked upon me. His eyes have paled my cheeks, and I fear
I must depart. Physician, here is my wealth, give me health and
let me live."
The physician took his wealth,
but could not give him health with all his skill.
The man changed his physician and tried another,
and thought that perhaps he might spin out
the thread of life a little longer.
But, alas! Death came and said, "I have given you time
to try your varied excuses, come with me- you shall die."
And he bound him hand and foot, and made him go
to that dark land of shades.
As the man went, be clutched at every side post by the way;
but Death, with iron hands, still pulled him on.
There was not a tree that grew along the way but he tried to
grasp it, but Death said, "Come on! you are my captive, and you
shall die." And unwillingly as the laggard schoolboy, who goes
slowly to school, so did he trace the road with Death.
He did not come willingly to his grave, but Death
fetched him to it- the grave came to him.
But Death said to the other man, "I am come for you."
He smilingly replied, "Ah, Death! I know you,
I have seen you many a time.
I have held communion with you.
You are my Master's servant,
you have come to fetch me home.
Go, tell my Master I am ready; whenever he pleases,
Death, I am ready to go with you."
And together they went along the road,
and held sweet company.
Death said to him, "I have worn these skeleton bones to frighten
wicked men; but I am not frightful. I will let you see myself.
The hand that wrote upon Belshazzar's wall was terrible because
no man saw anything but the hand; but," said Death,
"I will show you my whole body.
Men have only seen my bony hand,
and have been terrified."
And as they went along, Death ungirded himself to let the
Christian see his body-- and he smiled, for it was the body
of an angel. He had wings of cherubs, and a body as
glorious as Gabriel.
The Christian said to him,
"You are not what I thought you were-
I will cheerfully go with you."
At last Death touched the believer with his hand-
it was even as when the mother does in sport smite her child a
moment.
The child loves that loving pinch upon the arm,
for it is a proof of affection.
So did Death put his finger on the man's pulse, and stopped it
for a moment, and the Christian found himself by Death's kind
finger changed into a spirit; yes, found himself brother to the
angels.
His body had been etherealized, his soul purified,
and he himself was in heaven.
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