But they shall Return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria

But they shall Return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

For the returning to that we have had before. But besides that, they shall be brought to that poverty and misery to eat unclean polluted bread, whereas before they had abundance: Peter would eat nothing that was unclean till God warned him, but the Assyrians would bring them unclean meat and bid them eat, they would say, We cannot, this is against our Religion, and against our Consciences. Your Consciences! what do we care for them, eat it or starve, so they were forced to eat. From where observe,

That it is a great misery to be brought under those men that will have no care, no regard of the consciences of men.

But that which is especially aimed at here, God would take away all notes of distinction between them and the Heathen, this was a means to keep them from mixing with the Heathen, but now says God, All is gone, let them go (says God) and eat unclean things, as for the Covenant with me it is wholly abolished, I will own them no more than the very impure Heathen, they would make leagues with the Assyrians, well, they shall partake with them and be filthy and unclean as he; and they defiled God's worship by mixing heathenish pollutions with it, now God gives them up to all heathenish uncleanness, as they were like the Heathens in inward uncleanness, so let them be (says God) in outward uncleanness. There are these two notes.

First, Those that will make leagues with wicked men, it is just with God that afterwards they should come and be enthralled in all the wickedness and abominations of those wicked men. They were indeed at a distance from them before, but when once the peace is made, they come now to be all one with them.

But the main is this, that when men are inwardly unclean, God does not care for their outward cleanness. Thus many professors of religion defiling their consciences, and becoming like the wicked in inward sins, at length God leaves them up to themselves that there should be no difference between them and the wicked in their outward abominations. Have you not known some examples in this kind?

Lastly, If it be such a judgment to eat unclean things with the Gentiles, even meat to satisfy their hunger, certainly then it is a fearful evil for any of the Saints to partake with ungodly men in unclean wicked worship. There might be as much excuse for this as one could imagine, why Lord (they might say) shall we starve? True, they might no question eat that which was unclean rather than starve, but yet it was a great misery that they were in, that they could have nothing to eat but that which was unclean: but now the other is, not only an affliction, but sin, and indeed the moral of it is to show the great evil that there is in joining with any way of false worship; to join false worship it is a great evil, and an argument that when God leaves us to this, he disclaims us. Cyprian dehorts Christians from communicating with wicked Ministers, from this place: Ne sibi plebs in hoc [illegible], & cum pro Hoseam Prophetam comminetur & dicat censura Divina, &c. I do not speak of not joining in worship, if there be unclean ones there, Ministers, or People. And I am persuaded if it be throughly weighed, there will no body be found to be of that mind; for it is impossible that any Church in the world but in time there will be some that are wicked which will be present: but this is not that that causes many to forbear, (not the presence of wicked men) but find the uncleanness of the worship, some things that was done actually there, that their consciences told them to be sin.

Secondly, Because they could not do their duty as they should, but if they can have liberty to do their duty, and the worship be not polluted, I think upon serious consideration there can be no question made: although there should be some that are unclean admitted, yet if there be in the Church any order and government, that the unclean may be cast out, and liberty that every one may discharge his duty, as to go and admonish, and take two or three and then tell the Church, and so to deliver his own soul, no doubt but they may communicate.