LOOKING UNTO JESUS OR CHRIST IN TYPE AND ANTITYPE. BY ...

which they denominate "the age to come," wherein they picture
great things to be accomplished, upon which they dwell
with earnest, though not well-founded, delight. The interest
of true criticism therefore demands, that, in passing,
a little attention be paid to this prophecy. p. 74, Para.
3, [LOOKING].
The contention which will here be maintained, is that the
prophecy has not failed, because no word of God can fail,
and that it is not to be fulfilled in a future age beyond
the present dispensation, because the condition of things
brought to view in the prophecy is such as cannot possibly
exist under the future reign of Christ. Indeed, this condition
of things could not exist even under the gospel in the
present state of the world; and therefore if it has been
fulfilled at all, it must have been fulfilled under the
former, or Mosaic, dispensation. But such a fulfilment
never has been seen, and the question, Why? therefore still
remains to be answered. The fact has already been mentioned
that the prophecy, of which this is a part, was given on
conditions; that is, if the people would do certain things,
the prophecy would be fulfilled; and if they did not do
them, it would not be fulfilled. The conditions were, that
the people should undergo a radical and thorough change of
heart, that they should recover themselves from the spirit
of apostasy which had brought upon them their present calamities,
and humble themselves with shame and contrition
of heart, before the Lord, in view of all their past failures.
If they would not do these things the Lord did not
propose to confer upon them the favors he now offered; for
it would be like casting pearls before swine. In Eze.
43:11, the Lord says, "If they be ashamed of all that they
have done, show them the form of the house," etc. Conversely
it is implied that if they would not do this, the
sanctuary proposed was never to be given them. The fulfilment,
then, all depended upon their course of action. But
were they ashamed? did they comply with the conditions? --
Not in the least. Jeremiah, speaking prophetically (chapter
6:15), said that they would not; and when under Cyrus they
had opportunity to return to their own land, only a few,
comparatively, had sufficient zeal for the Lord to accept
the offer. p. 74, Para. 4, [LOOKING].
But to make the matter doubly sure, let the specifications
of the prophecy itself show in what dispensation it was to
be fulfilled, if fulfilled at all. The conclusion soon becomes
very necessary, that it was designed to be fulfilled,