For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
Ver. 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure language] "Then," when my sword hath rid circuit, Ecclesiastes 8:17, and been bathed in the blood of all nations, for their many and mighty sins, "I will turn to the people," I will turn mine hand upon the little ones, mine elect, that remnant reserved for royal use. These I will bring, not into the fire only, but through it, and will refine them as silver is refined, Zechariah 13:7; Zechariah 13:9, so that their tongue shall be as choice silver, Proverbs 10:20, their lip shall be a pure lip, as it is here, a lip of excellence, Proverbs 17:7, so that they shall scatter pearls, Matthew 7:6, throw abroad treasure, Matthew 12:35, even apples of gold in shrines of silver, Proverbs 25:11, they shall purify themselves, as God is pure, 1 John 3:3. Old things shall be past with them, all things shall become new; new constitution, new communication, new conversation. Look how the Conqueror sought to bring the French tongue into England, commanding it to be taught in schools, spoke in courts, &c., so doth the Lord Christ, who rideth about the world upon his white horses, the apostles and other ministers, "conquering and to conquer," Revelation 6:2; wherever he prevails, he turneth to such "a pure language," even the language of Canaan; not the Hebrew tongue (as R. Abraham senses this text) which all nations shall speak, saith he, in the kingdom of Christ (what they do in heaven, I have not to say, some are confident), but words of grace, Colossians 4:6, words of truth and soberness, Acts 26:25, right words, Job 6:25, spiritual speeches, Ephesians 4:29, Scripture language, 1 Peter 4:11 .
That they may call upon the name of the Lord] As all God s people do, it is their character, 1 Corinthians 1:2, he hath no dumb children, they no sooner breathe but pray, Acts 9:11, for prayer is the breath of the spirit, Romans 8:26, and the fruit of faith; hence it is called the prayer of faith, and under the phrase of calling upon the name of the Lord here is meant believing in his name, and reposing upon Christ for safety here and salvation hereafter.
To serve him with one consent] Heb. with one shoulder, that is, unanimously, and with conjoined endeavours (ομοθυμαδον), a metaphor from oxen yoked and setting their shoulders together to the work (υπο ζυγον ενα, Sept.); or else from porters, who set their several shoulders to the same burden. The saints may the better do so because they have the Spirit to lift with them and be over beside them, as the apostle's word (συναντιλαμβανεται) importeth, Romans 8:26. Let them therefore endeavour, by all good means, to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Ephesians 4:3, that they may say, as holy Miconius did of himself and his colleagues at Gotha, in Thuringia, cucurrimus, certavimus, laboravimus, pugnavimus, vicimus, et viximus semper coniunctissimi. We ever ran together, strove, laboured, fought, vanquished, and did all together, in much peace and concord. This is Christian-like indeed, see Acts 1:14; Acts 2:1; Acts 2:46; Acts 4:32, animo animaque inter se miscebantur, saith Tertullian, they were all of one heart and of one mind. The very heathens acknowledged that no people in the world did hold together and love one another so as Christians did. To see their travails (saith Master Fox concerning the saints here in times of persecution), their earnest seeking, burning zeal, readings, watchings, sweet assemblies, love, concord, godly living, faithful marrying with the faithful, may make us now in these our days of free profession (but lamentable divisions) to blush for shame. They served the Lord with one shoulder, we shoulder one another: they kept unity with purity without schism, much less heresy, glorifying the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and with one mouth, Romans 15:6, with a pure lip, as it is here; we are quot homines, tot sententiae, so many men, so many minds. How many religions are there now among us! saith one; old heresies new vamped! Our Saviour Christ saith, if the Son of man come, shall he find faith? &c. Yes, sure he may find many faiths; so many men, so many faiths. Pudet opprobria nobis, &c. It is a shame and a repraoch to us. It is not peace but party that some men mind, saith another; their chief studies are studium partium, et studium novarum rerum, part-taking, and novelling. But what saith the apostle? If ye speak with several tongues will not he that comes in think ye are mad? so when the world hears of so many dissonant opinions, will they not think we are run wild? 1 Corinthians 14:23. Is it not a shame to us that the Turks should say, we may sooner look that the fingers on our hands should be all of one length than that the Christians should be all of one judgment? Why should any Julian jeer us for our divisions? why should any Camian hit us in the teeth with our many sects and schisms? Pardon may be gotten for our other sins by faith in Christ's blood, discordiam neque si sanguinem fundamus expiabimus (saith Oecolampadius to the Lutherans of his time), our scandalous discords God will judge.