This, O Mansoul, is My livery, and this is the badge by which Mine are known from the servants of others.  Yea, this livery is that which I grant to all them that are Mine, and without which no man is permitted to see My face.  Wear this livery, therefore, for My sake, and, also, if you would be known by the world to be Mine.  But now can you think how Mansoul shone!  For Mansoul was fair as the sun, clear as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners.

White, then, and whiter than snow, is the very livery of heaven.  A hundred shining Scriptures could be quoted to establish that.  In the first year of Belshazzar, King of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions of his head came to Daniel upon his bed.  And, behold, the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool.  My beloved, sings the spouse in the Song, is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely.  Then, again, David in his penitence sings, Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  And what is it that sets Isaiah at the head of all the prophets?  What but this, that he is the mouth-piece of such decrees in heaven as this:  Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  The angel, also, who rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre was clothed in a long white garment.  Another evangelist says that his countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow, and for fear of him the keepers did quake, and became as dead men.  But before that we read that Jesus was transfigured before Peter and James and John on the Mount, and that His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.  And, then, the whole Book of Revelation is written with a pen dipped in heavenly light.  The whole book is glistening with the whitest light till we cannot read it for the brightness thereof.  And the multitude that no man can number all display themselves before our eyes, clothed with white robes and with palms in their hands, so much so that we sink down under the greatness of the glory, till One with His head and His hairs white like wool, as white as snow, lays His hand upon us, and says to us, Fear not, for, behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

   ’I also saw Mansoul clad all in white,
   And heard her Prince call her His heart’s delight,
   I saw Him put upon her chains of gold,
   And rings and bracelets goodly to behold. 
   What shall I say?  I heard the people’s cries,
   And saw the Prince wipe tears from Mansoul’s eyes,
   I heard the groans and saw the joy of many;
   Tell you of all, I neither will nor can I.
   But by what here I say you well may see
   That Mansoul’s matchless wars no fable be.’