to a
heavenly inheritance. And, besides, it was no sooner set upon his
forehead than it greatly added to his dignity and his comeliness. He had
now the gravity and beauty of an angel; nay, the beauty in his measure
and the gravity of Goodwill at the gate himself. And, then, as if that
were not enough, the third Shining One also gave him a roll with a seal
upon it, which he was bidden look on as he ran, and which he was to give
in when he arrived at the Celestial Gate. Now, what was that sealed roll
but just the inward memory and record of all this pilgrim's experiences
of the grace of God from the day he set out on pilgrimage down to that
day when he stood unburdened of his guilt, unclothed of his rags, and
clothed upon with change of raiment? The roll contained his own secret
life, all sealed and shone in upon by the light of God's countenance. The
secret of the Lord with this pilgrim was written within that roll, a
secret that no man could read but he himself alone. It was the same roll
that this same Shining One gave to Abraham, the first pilgrim and the
father of all true pilgrims, after Melchizedek, the priest of the Most
High God, had brought forth bread and wine and had blessed that great
believer. 'Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great
reward.' And, again, after Abram had lost his roll, like our pilgrim in
the arbour, when he recovered it he read thus in it: 'I am the Almighty
God: walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And I will make My covenant
between Me and thee.' And Abram fell on his face for joy. It was the
same roll out of which the Psalmist proposed to read a passage to all
those in his day who feared God. 'Come and hear, all ye that fear God,
and I will declare what He hath done for my soul.' It was the same roll
also that God sent to Israel in his sore captivity. 'Fear not, O Israel,
for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name, thou art Mine.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee.' The high
priest Joshua also had the same roll put into his hand, and that not only
for his own comfort, but to make him the comforter of God's afflicted
people. For after the Lord had plucked Joshua as a brand out of the
fire, and had made his iniquity to pass from him, and had clothed him
with change of raiment, and had set a fair mitre on his head, the Lord
gave to Joshua a sealed roll, the contents of which may be read to this
day in the book of the proph