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Criticism upon Heb . xii . 22 , 23 , 24 . 143
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* to the opinion that Paul was the writer of this letter to the Hebrews . l The gentle , though manly , the liberal and benevolent character of Christianity is a favourite theme with this apostle . He often dwells iipon this instance of its superiority to the Mosaic dispensation with considerable energy of argument and expression . The law was adapted to men in a state aB pupilage : it was but their conductor to bring them to Christ : it preserved in the world a knowledge of the unity of God ; and it is now succeeded by a religion which delivers U 9 from the yoke of bondage and the restraint of ceremonies , ^ nd addresses us in no accents excepting those of mildness peace and love . —* Ye are come to mount Sion , "
II . The universality and wide extension of the gospel , together with its numerous teachers and prof essors , are set forth in this passage— " Ye are come io a city of the living God , to a heavenly Jerusalem , and a general assembly of innumerable angels , and to a church df first-born sons enrolled in heaven , and x to God the judge' of all . " The body of Christians are here described as constituting a large , happy and wellordered society : * the figurative expressions applied to them are taken from the customs -of a city or community .
As the Jews were under God ' s special government and protection , they are sometimes called the city , the holy city , the city of the Lord , Ps . xlvi . 4 . They are elsewhere termed c Jerusalem , ' Isa . lxii . 1 . ; and , for the same reason , our author styles the Christian church * the city of the living God ' and ' the heavelily Jerusalem / And the privileges of this city are freely granted to all faithful professors of the gospel / whatever be their family or country .
It is added " Ye are come to a general assembly of innumerable angels ' ' or messengers . The Jews gave this appellation to any thing or being which * accornplishes the divine purposes : the word frequently occurs in the beginning of the epistle , and is occasionally used , I think to denote the prophets by whose instrumentality the Jewish religion was promulgated and enforced * . These were . specially appointed by God / and were few in number . Not so , hdWever , under the gospel dispensation : " Ye are come to a general assembly of innumerable angelsf- * ' All Christians form a holy nation , a royal * priesthood . Every man who understands , and therefore values , this simple doctrine , ought to be an instructor of otheriiieni The religion of the new Testament prescribes rib dfsfinctronss in this respect , and allows of none but those which expedieribjr
• Sec Rev * ii . * . iii . x . + PgalmUviii xii — - > . ** 5
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1807, page 143, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2378/page/31/
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