eousness in the second quotation (xiv. 5) may be paralleled in
the somewhat earlier work called _The Assumption {260} of Moses_[2]:
'Observe and know that neither did our fathers nor their forefathers
tempt God so as to transgress His commandments.'

2. _The doctrine of the treasury of merits_. The good works of the
righteous are laid up as in a treasury to avail for themselves and for
others. Thus (xiv. 12): 'The righteous justly hope for the end, and
without fear depart from this habitation, because they have with Thee a
store of works preserved in treasuries.' xxiv. 1: 'Behold the days
come when the books will be opened in which are written the sins of all
those that have sinned, and again also the treasuries in which the
righteousness of all those who have been righteous in creation is
gathered.'

The connexion of the mediaeval doctrine of the treasury of merits with
the similar Jewish doctrine needs to be traced out.

3. _Righteousness identified with the keeping of the law_. For the
Pharisaic Jew righteousness meant simply the keeping of the law. Thus
xv. 5: 'Man would not have rightly understood My judgement if he had
not accepted the law.' Again, lxvii. 6: 'So far as Zion is delivered
up and Jerusalem laid waste ... the vapour of the smoke of the incense
of righteousness which is by the law is extinguished in Zion.' Thus
the merits of Abraham are attributed to his having kept the law before
it was written. lvii. 2: 'At that time the unwritten law was named
among them, and the works of the commandments were then fulfilled.'

Of course it must be said that 'the Law' may mean the ceremonial law,
as in the lower form of Jewish thought, or special stress may be laid
on its moral precepts, as is the case in Baruch, and in the higher
Jewish teaching generally.

{261}

4. _The Gentiles are therefore incapable of righteousness_. lxii. 7:
'But regarding the Gentiles it were tedious to tell how they always
wrought impiety and wickedness, and never wrought righteousness.' Thus
the best hope of the Gentiles is that in the Messianic kingdom they
should become servants to Israel. This will be their lot if they have
never vexed the holy people; see lxxii. 2-6.

5. _The world created on account of Israel_, xiv. 18: 'Thou didst say
that Thou wouldst make for Thy world man as the administrator of Thy
works, that it might be known that he was by no means made on account
of the world but the world on account o