"Two men are saved of God's good grace, Who severally have done His will: The righteous man shall see His face, The innocent dwells with Him still. In the Psalter thou may'st find a case: 'Lord, who shall climb to Thy high hill, Or rest within Thy Holy Place?' The psalmist doth the sense fulfill: 'Who with his hands did never ill, His heart to evil never lent, There to ascend he shall have skill;' So surely saved is the innocent." "That the righteous is saved I hold certain; Before God's palace he shall stand Who never took man's life in vain, Who never to flatter his fellow planned. Of the righteous, the Wise Man writeth plain How kindly our King doth him command; In ways full strait he doth restrain, Yet shows him the kingdom great and grand, As who saith: 'Behold! yon lovely land! Thou may'st win it, if so thy will be bent.' But with never peril on either hand, Surely saved is the innocent." "Of the righteous saved, hear one man say-- David, who in the Psalter cried: 'O Lord, call never Thy servant to pay, For no man living is justified.' So thou, if thou shalt come one day To the court that each cause must decide, For mercy with justice thou may'st pray Through this same text that I espied. But may He on the bloody cross that died, His holy hands with hard nails rent, Give thee to pass when thou art tried, Saved, not as righteous, but innocent." "Of the sinless saved the tale is told,-- Read in the Book where it is said: When Jesus walked, among men of old, The people a passage to Him made; Bringing their bairns for Him to hold, For the blessing of His hand they prayed. The twelve reproved them: 'Overbold To seek the Master;' and sternly stayed. But Jesus said: 'Be ye not afraid; Suffer the children, nor prevent; God's kingdom is for such arrayed.' Surely saved are the innocent." XIII "Christ called to Him the innocents mild, And said His kingdom no man might win, Unless he came thither as a child,--Not otherwise might he enter in, Harmless, faithful, undefiled, With never a spot of soiling sin,--For these whom the world has not beguiled Gladly shall one the gate unpin. There shall that endless bliss begin, The merchant sought, and straight was led To barter all stuffs men weave and spin, To buy him a pearl unblemished." "'This pearl unblemished, bought so dear, For which the merchant his riches gave, Is like the kingdom of heaven clear;' So said the Father of world and wave. It is a flawless, perfect sphere, Polished and pure, and bright and brave; As on my heart it doth appear, It is common to all who to virtue clave. My Lord, the Lamb Who died to save, Here set it in token of His blood shed For peace. Then let the wild world rave, But buy thee this pearl unblemishèd."