Verse 8

VER. 8.

Israel is swallowed up: now they shall be among the Gentils as a vessel wherein there is no pleasure.

Israel, they had made so many leagues among other people, till they were even swallowed up by them. And truly my brethren, if there be not a great care had, there is much danger in making leagues with other nations, lest upon the need they see we have of them they should incroach upon us, and at length even have laws given to us by them. It was so with the people of Israel, that by their league with other people they were so incroacht upon by them, as at length they gave them laws and swallowed them up. And thus many of the people of God, yes, of the churches of God, by mingling themselves with the world are even swallowed up, so as they lose their beauty; and there's no difference appears between them and the men of the world. It's one thing for wicked men to creep into the Church unawares, (and certainly there's none can expect that any Church in the world can continue but wicked men and hypocrites will mingle themselves) but it's one thing when they creep in unawares, and another thing when the fence is broken down, so as it is very hard to see any face of a Church among them: thus it was with Israel.