But again, Though I am certain that all the Gentiles that are at any time converted, are reckoned within the compass of some of the Tribes of Israel, to which the Gates of this City may truly be said to answer: Yet the Gates are here in a special manner called by the name of twelve, to answer to the happy Return and Restoration of those poor distressed Creatures the twelve Tribes of the Jews that are scattered abroad, & that are, and for a long time have been to our astonishment and their shame, as Vagabonds and Stragglers among the Nations, there to continue 1many days, without a King, without a Prince, and without a Sacrifice, and without an Ephod; that is, without the true God, the true Saviour, and the true Word and Ordinances; after which, saith the same Prophet, They shall even in the latter days, (that is, when this City is builded) return and seek the Lord their God, and David their King, and shall then fear the Lord and his Goodness, Hos. 3. 4, 5. This the Apostle also affirmeth, when he telleth the believing Gentiles, That blindness in part •s happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in; which Israel in this place cannot by any means be taken for ⟨p. 70⟩the Gentiles that are converted, for th•• Israel must be rejected until the bulk of the elect Gentiles be converted; besides, he calleth this Israel by the name of Israel, even while unconverted; but the converted Gentiles, still Gentiles, even when converted: he calls this Israel the Natural Branches; but the Gentiles Wil• Branches; and tells us further, Tha• when they are converted, they shall be grafted into their own Olive Tree; but when the Gentiles are converted, they must be cut off of their own Stock and Tree: read Rom. 11. throughout. Wherefore, I say, the Gates are called twelve, to answer these poor Creatures, who at this day shall be awakened, and enlightened, and converted to the Faith of Jesus. These Gates in another place are called, A Way, and these Jews, The Kings of the East; and it is there said also, That at present this Way doth want preparing▪ which is as much as to say, This City wants setting up, and the Gates want setting in their proper places:
But again, Though I am certain that all the Gentiles that are at any time converted, are reckoned within the compass of some of the Tribes of Israel, to which the Gates of this City may truly be said to answer: Yet the Gates are here in a special manner called by the name of twelve, to answer to the happy Return and Restoration of those poor distressed Creatures the twelve Tribes of the Jews that are scattered abroad, & that are, and for a long time have been to our astonishment and their shame, as Vagabonds and Straglers among the Nations, there to continue 1many days, without a King, without a Prince, and without a Sacrifice, and without an Ephod; that is, without the true God, the true Saviour, and the true Word and Ordinances; after which, saith the same Prophet, They shall even in the latter days, (that is, when this City is builded) return and seek the Lord their God, and David their King, and shall then fear the Lord and his Goodness, Hos. 3. 4, 5. This the Apostle also affirmeth, when he telleth the believing Gentiles, That blindness in part •s happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in; which Israel in this place cannot by any means be taken for ⟨p. 70⟩the Gentiles that are converted, for th•• Israel must be rejected until the bulk of the elect Gentiles be converted; besides, he calleth this Israel by the name of Israel, even while unconverted; but the converted Gentiles, still Gentiles, even when converted: he calls this Israel the Natural Branches; but the Gentiles Wil• Branches; and tells us further, Tha• when they are converted, they shall be grafted into their own Olive Tree; but when the Gentiles are converted, they must be cut off of their own Stock and Tree: read Rom. 11. throughout. Wherefore, I say, the Gates are called twelve, to answer these poor Creatures, who at this day shall be awakened, and enlightned, and converted to the Faith of Jesus. These Gates in another place are called, A Way, and these Jews, The Kings of the East; and it is there said also, That at present this Way doth want preparing▪ which is as much as to say, This City wants setting up, and the Gates want setting in their proper places:
- 1Hos. 9. 17
