The happy exchange – Thomas Brooks

I heartily wish that all who are concerned in this sad loss, were more taken up in minding the happy exchange which Mary has made, than with your present loss.

She has exchanged:
earth for heaven,
a wilderness for a paradise,
a prison for a palace,
a house made with hands for one eternal in the heavens,
imperfection for perfection,
sighing for singing,
mourning for rejoicing,
petitions for praises,
the society of sinful mortals for the company of God,
pain for ease,
sickness for health,
a bed of weakness for a bed of spices,
her brass for silver,
her pennies for gold,
her earthly contentments for heavenly enjoyments, an imperfect, transient enjoyment of God for a more clear, full, perfect, and permanent enjoyment of God.

And as I desire that one of your eyes may be fixed upon her happiness so I desire that your other eye may be fixed upon Christ’s fullness. Though your brook be dried up, yet Christ the fountain of light, life, love, grace, glory, comfort, joy, goodness, sweetness and satisfaction is still at hand and always full and flowing yes, overflowing!

As the worth and value of many pieces of silver is contracted in one piece of gold so all the sweetness, all the goodness, all the excellencies which are in husbands, wives, children, friends, etc., are concentrated in Christ! Yes, all the whole volume of perfections which is spread through heaven and earth is epitomized in Christ!

Oh, that your hearts and thoughts were thus busied about Christ, and taken up with Christ, and with those treasures of wisdom, knowledge, grace, goodness, sweetness, etc., which are in Him! This would very much allay your grief and sorrow, and keep your hearts quiet and silent before the Lord.