[3.] The next privilege is the unity of the churches : in the words of the text, The Lord shall be one, and his name one.
By this view we have found the words to be the third privilege of the glorious evening. Observe in them : —
(1.) The time, in that day.
(2.) The blessing, which is unity. The Lord shall he one, and his name one. Which words do hint —
(1st.) The cause of this unity, there shall be 07ie Lord, a joint sub- scription and submission to Jesus Christ.
(2d.) The measure of it, one name, such a unity and conspiring to- gether in the worship of Christ, that all names and badges of distinc- tion shall be taken away.
This resolution of the text doth somewhat open it to you. But let us go upon the words more expressly and directly.
In that day ; that is, the day spoken of ver. 1, described ver. 6, 7. What this day is, is somewhat doubted. Most grant it cannot be taken properly, as if all these things could be transacted in the space
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of twenty-four hours, though indeed some be so fond as to interpret all these things in the rigour of the letter ; but what is intended then ? I shall only mention the most probable opinions. Some refer it to the first times of Christianity and the dawnings of the gospel in the world ; but sure that is a mistake, for it must be such a day whose morning is miserably troublous, whose evening is eminently glorious, which will hardly agree to those times. Others refer it to the day of judgment ; but though the evening of this day hath no end till then, yet I conceive that is not intended, for these happi- nesses here mentioned — of the propagation of the gospel, the ac- knowledgment of Christ's sovereignty, and the peace of the churches, &c. — though rare and high privileges, yet are somewhat lower than those dispensations which Christ will give out at the day of judgment. Others refer them to the times of the calling of the Jews, and the church's recovery from the apostasy and defection of Antichrist ; some more yet more particularly to the destruction of the last enemies, and those secrets about Gog and Magog. For the present, because I drive at other things, I shall forbear the thorough disquisition of this matter, and shall only generally and safely refer the words to some latter pro- vidences, proijably the times most nearly preceding the day of judg- ment ; for I conceive this text is exactly parallel to those promises that are everywhere in scripture said to be fulfilled in the latter days, and speak of so much glory and sweetness as then shall be exhibited and dispensed to the world ; therefore, if we will know what this day is, let us know what is intended in that expression, ' the latter days.' It is used either : —
1. More largely, for all that efiiux of time and succession of ages between Christ's ascension and his second coming to judge the world. All that time in scripture is looked upon as the latter days, for so the times immediately after Christ are expressly called, Acts ii. 15 ; and I remember the apostle Paul calleth his times ' the ends of the world,' 1 Cor. X. 11 ; the reason of which expressions is, because after Christ's ascension there is no change of dispensations, as there was before, from the law natural to the law of tables, and from the law of tables to the gospel ; but now beyond this time there is nothing but the everlasting state : ' There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin,' Heb. x. 26, no other ways of salvation to be expected beyond the gospel ; this is the largest sense, which not being noted, hath occasioned some mistakes.
2. More strictly for that space of time that immediately precedeth the world's ruin, and that is to be considered in its morning and evening.
[1.] In its morning or former part, which is everywhere in scripture made to be of a dismal and doubtful appearance, and therefore do we so often hear of the evil of the latter times — days full of delusion and desolation, a world of delusion and error there is then : 1 Tim. iv. 1, ' The Spirit speaketh expressly that, in the latter days, men shall de- part from the faith, and give heed to seducing spirits.' God hath ex- pressly foretold what will be the fate of those times. So for de- solation, 2 Tim. iii. 1 ' In the latter times there shall come hard or perilous times,' Koipoi ')(aX€7roi, times of great difficulty and distress.
[2.] In its evening or latter part, which is bright and glorious, and
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therefore do we so much hear of the goodness of the latter days ; as Hosea iii. 5, ' They shall make haste to fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.' So of safety ; ' no provoking briar,' * no pricking thorn,' Ezek. xxviii. 24. So also Isa. ii. 1, ' The mountain of God, above all mountains, in the latter days ;' that is, above the reach of opposition and violence. Look, as there is a morning light that goeth before the sunshine, so there are some streaks of glory, and times grow better and better as they draw nearer and nearer to the great day of the Lord. I have done with that expression, in that day.