2. The next is there shall he one Lord. Hitherto there have been divers lords. The heathens had their several deities, the Turks their Mahomet, the Jews their imaginary Messiah, the Papists their lord the Pope. Many nations do not as yet call Christ Lord : ' Other lords have dominion over them,' Isa. xxvi. 13. But then Jesus Christ shall be the person acknowledged ; he shall be acknowledged alone, he shall be acknowledged as Lord. All this is included in the expression, that Christ alone shall be spoken of, invocated, and adored in all the churches ; they shall be subjected to him as the only king, and guided by him as the ' only shepherd,' Ezek. xxxiv. 23 ; hold of him as the only head, and stand to his appointment as the only lawgiver, James iv. 12. And, indeed, here is the ground of all ; for it is unity of re- ligion that begetteth unity of affection ; the one Lord causeth the one name. When men have one king, give themselves up to the will of Christ, and have one shepherd, guided by the spirit of Christ, and have one lawgiver, are willing their opinions should stand or fall at the appointments of Christ, then will there be a sweet and happy agreement. 3. The last clause to be examined is that, his name one. At first I conceived the meaning to be that men should look only at one power and dignity whereby to endear themselves to the respects of God, and thought the expression parallel to these scriptures : Acts iv. 12, ' That there is no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved,' but only by Jesus Christ, this is the one name ; or that, Phil. ii. 10, ' That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.' But considering it more seriously, I saw the necessity of another sense, for this is but the result and effect of the former phrase. Now it seems to be added for the greater emphasis and aggravation of the mercy, that there should be not only one Lord, but one name ; therefore, what is in- tended ? There are divers acceptions of the name of God in scrip- ture. That which I conceive most proper is, when it is taken for worship, the way of our religion and profession ; as Micah iv. 5, ' All people will walk every one in the name of his God, but we will walk in the name ci the Lord our God for ever and ever ;' that is, several people have their several distinct ways of worship and profession, and the reason why the scripture useth this word in this matter is because men are called and named after the way of their worship and profes- sion ; thus the holy worshippers are called Christians from Christ, and Mahometans from Mahomet, &c. ; and, among Christians, men are called according to their distinct way and chief opinion, as Papists, Socinians, Arminiaus, &c. "Well, then, it is promised here that there shall be one name ; that is, as one Lord, so one way of worship and badge of distinction. We see now, and we may bewail it, that among
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the holy people there are distinct names, as Lutherans, Calvinists, Presbyterians, Independents ; but then all these shall vanish and be no more heard of ; the whole family shall be named Christians from Christ. And, indeed, this is no mean blessing ; the devil gets great advantage by names, and, therefore, his instruments are busy this way, inventing such as may either tend to contempt and derision,^ as Chrestians of old, Puritans of late ; or to tumult and division, as those names amongst us under which the members of Christ sadly gather into bodies and parties.
I have done with the explication ; I come to the points, they are two: —
Doct. 1. That in the latter days there shall be great unity in the church of God.
Doct. 2. That this unity shall spring from their acknowledging of the right Lord and the right way.
Purity is the ground of this unity. I shall at this time discuss the first point, that in the latter days there shall be great unity and agreement. The main confirmation of the point lieth in promises, for that is the assurance we have of it ; however, I shall forbear to heap up scriptures together. You will find many in this discussion reduced to their proper place and heads. The reasons are these : —
1. Because this will suit best with the quiet and happy estate of those times ; God will usher in the glorious and everlasting estate by some preparative degrees ; the latter times are more blessed times, ' former things are to be done away,' Rev. xxi. That is, the former kind of dispensations and providences. Many promises there are which hint the great peace and rest that shall then be in the church. Now that could not be if there were divisions and distinctions ; they would pro- duce factions, and factions wars and contentions, and the contentions desolations : Amos vii. 4, ' The fire devoured the great deep ; ' that is, contention brought desolation upon places and countries that are most populous. Public differences will end in public disturbances ; this is all we can look for in such cases ; and therefore, if there were not unity, how could the other promises be fulfilled ? — such as these : Isa. xxxiii. 20, ' Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that cannot be taken down ; the stakes thereof shall not be removed, nor the cords broken.' It is spoken of the church in the times of the gospel, whose state hitherto hath been most disturbed and perplexed, like the ark upon the waves. It may be there hath been some relaxation and short breathing time, as it is said, Rev. viii. 1, ' There was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour ; ' a little respite given to the church in Constantine's beginning, till Licinius (because not equally prayed for and honoured by the Christians with Constantine) raised a new persecution then ; and so at other times there hath been silence for the space of half an hour, but then the miseries returned again with violence enough. Only in the latter days is Jeru!^alem a quiet habitation, a fixed tent; then there are not such uncertain happiness, and such interchangeable removes. So Ezek. xxviii. 24, ' And there shall be no more any pricking thorn,