Page:The old paths, or The Talmud tested by Scripture.djvu/275

 No: then he is unrighteous, and the curse of God is hanging over him, ready to descend and destroy him:—

"Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen." (Deut. xxvii. 26.) Moses holds out no nope, except to those who yield a perfect and universal obedience.

But some one will reply, if this be true, then no man can be accounted righteous, on account of his deeds:—

"For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." (Eccles. vii. 20.) And this is the truth, no man can be justified because of his good works. We must renounce all our pride, and appear at the bar of God as miserable sinners, looking only for mercy, and not for payment. We must come to the same conclusion as Job did—

"I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand." (Job ix. 2, 3.) Job had no idea that his merits exceeded his sins, but knew well that if God entered into judgment with him, he could not answer respecting even the thousandth part of his transgressions. David, the man after God's own heart, had the same conviction, and had therefore, no wish that his merits should be weighed with his sins. His prayer was—

"Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." (Ps. cxliii. 2.) And when Daniel prayed, he did not venture to prefer his petitions on the score of merits, or to expect an answer as the reward of righteousness, but cast himself simply on the mercy of God:

"For we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies." (Dan. ix. 18.) How, then, can the modern Jews hope to stand at the tribunal of