Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 11:25

25. For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery lest ye should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is hapned to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in .

Here he shews there is, not only a Possibility and Probability, but a Certainty of the Iews conversion and calling. This he calleth a Mystery, or a Secret; though it was revealed in the Scripture (as you will hear) yet it was not understood; nay, the Manner, the Number, and the time of their Conversion, is still concealed and hid from us. The calling of the Gentiles was a Mystery, and a great Secret, vid. Ephes. 3.3. And so is the calling and restauration of the Iews. There are Three Particulars of this Mystery, which he makes known to the Gentiles, (and he doth it the rather, lest they should swell with a high Conceit of themselves, and proudly despise the Iews): Two of them are in this Verse; And the First is, That blindness is hapned to Israel, in part only, i. e. They were not all Blinded or Hardned; or this blindness should not last alwayes, but for a time. The latter Sence agrees best with the word Mystery; for it was no secret, that some of the Iews believed; this was told them before, ver. 2, 5, 7. Secondly, Another part of this Mystery was, That this blindness of the Iews, should continue till the Fulness of the Gentiles came in. By Fulness here, (as in ver. 12.) understand a great Number or Multitude of the Gentiles; greater, by far, than was in the Apostles days. There is another Exposition of this Clause, which I submit to Consideration: By the Gentiles, here you may understand the Romans, or the Roman Monarchy and Power (vid. Act. 4.27. and 21.11.) And by the coming in of their Fulness, may be understood, the full time of their Reign and Continuance; after which their Ruine follows. And so here is foretold the time of the calling of the Iews, which will be soon after the Destruction of Antichrist, and the Roman Hierarchy. Query, Whether this doth not agree with the Prediction of our Saviour? Luk. 21.24.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word].