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, & thought the expression parallel to these Scriptures, Act. 4. 12. That there is no other Name given under Heaven whereby ⟨p. 8⟩we must be saved, but only by Jesus Christ, this is the one name, or that Phil. 2 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 N•me: therefore what is intended? There are divers acceptions of the Name of God in Scripture, that which I conceive most proper is, when 'its taken for Worship, the way of our Religion and profession, as Micah 4. 5. All people will walk every one in the name of his God, but we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God, for ever and ever. That is, several people serve there 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 profession, 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 & chief opinion, as Papists, Socinians, Arminians &c. well then 'tis 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 the holy people, there are distinct names as Lutherans, Calvinists, Presbyterians, Independents: But then all these shall vanish & 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 Christians of old Puritans of late ⟨p. 9⟩or to tumult and division, as those names amongst us under which the members of Christ sadly gather into bodies and parties.
3. The last clause to be examined is that, his Name one, at first I conceived the meaning to bee that men should looke only at one power and dignity, whereby to indeare themselves to the respects of God, & thought the expression paralell to these Scriptures, Act. 4. 12. That there is no other Name given under Heaven whereby ⟨p. 8⟩we must be saved, but only by Jesus Christ, this is the one name, or that Phil. 2 10. That at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bowe. 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 seemes to be added for the greater Emphasis, and aggravation of the mercy, that there should be not only one Lord but one N•me: therefore what is intended? There are divers acceptions of the Name of God in Scripture, that which I conceive most proper is, when 'its taken for Worship, the way of our Religion and profession, as Micah 4. 5. All people will walke every one in the name of his God, but we will walke in the Name of the Lord our God, for ever and ever. That is, severall people serve there severall distinct wayes 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 profession, 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 & chiefe opinion, as Papists, Socinians, Arminians &c. well then 'tis 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 wee may bewayle it, that among the holy people, there are distinct names as Lutherans, Calvinists, Presbyterians, Independants: But then all these shall vanish & be no more heard of, the whole family shall be named Christians from Christ, And indeed this is no meane blessing, the Divell gets great advantage by names, and therefore his instruments are busie this way, inventing such as may either tend to contempt and dirision* as Christians of old Puritans of late ⟨p. 9⟩or to tumult and division, as those names amongst us under which the members of Christ sadly gather into bodies and parties.
- *Ipsum no••• perperam a vobis pronuncia•ur Ch••stianus Tertull in Apol cap. 310.
