as are saved of the Church consisting both of Jews and Gentiles, which is Gods Israel.
And it shall be that the remnant in Zion, and in Jerusalem shall be called holy, &c. That is, every one, who shall be delivered from the sword, and infideli∣ty by turning to the true faith, that is, every true Christian shall be holy, even every one, that is written to life in Jerusalem; here it is alluded to the writing of mens names in a book of Genealogies, for here they searched in the time of Nehemiah and Ezra, to finde who were true Israelites: but by Jerusalem here is meant the heavenly Jerusalem, where who so is written shall live for ever, but others not, and this is the book of Predestination, wherein no man knows who is written, but God only, till he be truly converted, for then he hath a white stone given him, and a new name written in it, which no man knoweth, but he that hath it.
In the spirit of judgement, and of fire. In this verse are the means, whereby they shall be sanctified and made holy, that are by Christ delivered, viz. They shall be washed by Baptism, and unto water fire shall be added, as was done in the day of Pentecost, and thus every one that is truly baptized is baptized with water and the holy Ghost. Others that understand all this of the Jews returning from Captivity, say, that the Prophet having spoken figuratively of them, vers. 2. under the name of a Branch, and the fruit of the earth now speaks of the same plainly, they shall be called holy, not that every one of them shall be such, but so many as be elect, who are the invisible part of the Church mingled here with the impure. For the reason yielded vers. 4. He will wash away the filthinesse, &c. They understand this of his destroying the wic∣ked by his former judgements, who were as filthiness and bloud amongst them, but being taken away the remnant was pure and holy. Whence Calvin noteth, That judgements executed upon the Church in the most rigorous manner, do not, as is commonly thought, make against the welfare thereof, but for it, be∣cause although the people be reduced to fewer, yet they are more worth now then all the great multitude before, because holy.
And the Lord shall create upon all the habitation of mount Zion a cloud by day, and in the night the brightnesse of flaming fire, &c. Hebr. A cloud and smoke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as also Tremellius renders it, and Jerom: but Marlorat, Darknesse. And it is a Prophecie, saith Jerom, of renewing the like favours to the Church un∣der the Gospel to those of old in the wilderness, the meaning being, that they should be sheltered from trouble both in adversity and prosperity. Wherefore smoke here doth not set forth the darkness of ignorance or errour, but glory, as the house of God is sometime said to have been filled with smoke; and Joel prophesying of the coming down of the holy Ghost, saith, bloud and fire, and the vapour of smoke. Tremellius, upon every Tabernacle, that is, every Con∣gregation of the faithfull shall be a cloud, that is, direction in the right way, and upon all the glory protection, or a covering, wherein it is alluded to the Ta∣bernacle, over the glorious things whereof there was a covering, because also vers. 2. it is said, The Branch of the Lord shall be to glory, the Congregation is here set forth by the name of glory for the excellency thereof. The cloud and smoaky darkness, intimating the flame ready to break out, and the flame were both for direction to the Israelites going through the wilderness to Canaan, wherefore hereby is set forth, that the faithfull under the Gospel should have the direction of Gods Spirit through the wilderness of this world to the hea∣venly Canaan. And because the cloud cooled and defended them from the heat of the Sun, but yet was occasion of some darkness, their light not being so bright, and the flame of fire enlightened them against the darkness of the night: in speaking hereof the Prophet sheweth both the protection of God, that should continually be over his Church, and the mixture of adversity with prosperity for the greater good thereof. For light in the night setteth forth comfort to mitigate the darkness of calamity, and a cloud in the day, affliction whereby God tempereth the prosperity of his Saints, least they being taken