Upon every habitation.] As if he should say, There shall not be the least corner in the mountain of Zion, where the grace and favour of God shall not appear. I take habitation and assembly, for one and the same thing. For I take not Assembly for congregation, but for the place where men meet. Now to the end he might describe and set fo•th a full blessing, he alludes to that which Moses recites; namely, that when the Lord would deliver his people from the bondage of Egypt, he sent a pillar of a cloud by day, and a pillar of a fire by night, Exod. 13.21. It is an usual thing with the Prophets, that when they would set forth any excellent benefit, they then call to remembrance this most glorious work of God, to wit, The deliverance out of Egypt. Because then did the Lord wonderfully display the infinite treasures of his grace, to the end he might establish his Church; not omitting in that work any testimony of his bounty and goodness, that the felicity of his chosen people might be famous throughout the whole world. But above all things, this was most memorable, that they should be preserved by day, by the covering of a cloud from the annoyance of too much heat, and that the pillar of fire should go before them in the night, to the end they should not wander or go astray. The sum is this; that when God will gather home his Church from out of Babylon, that the manner of it shall be no less admirable, then that by which the people were in times past delivered out of Egypt. Not that they should be accompanied in the midst of their journey between Babylon and Judea, with the cloud and the pillar of fire, as in the wilderness: but because he showed testimonies of his favour towards them by means no way less excellent then they. As if any should say at this day, The Lord will illuminate us by the light of his holy spirit; he will give cloven tongues, by which his Gospel shall be spread throughout the world: No man would take this literally, as if the Holy Ghost should be sent down from heaven in a visible form: but this miracle should be remembered only, to the end the faithful might learn to rest at this day upon the same power of God in the restoration of the Church, as the Apostles had experience of in their time. And withal, that by this manner of speech the Prophet mentioneth a continual succession of blessing;
VPon euery habitation.] As if he should say, There shall not bee the least corner in the mountaine of Zion, where the grace and fauour of God shall not appeare. I take habitation and assemblie, for one and the same thing. For I take not Assemblie for congregation, but for the place where men meete. Now to the end hee might describe and set fo•th a full blessing, he alludes to that which Moses recites; namely, that when the Lord would deliuer his people from the bondage of Egypt, hee sent a piller of a cloud by day, and a piller of a fire by night, Exod. 13.21. It is an vsuall thing with the Prophets, that when they would set forth any excellent benefit, they then call to remembrance this most glorious worke of God, to wit, The deliuerance out of Egypt. Because then did the Lord wonderfully display the infinite treasures of his grace, to the end hee might establish his Church; not omitting in that worke any testimonie of his bountie and goodnes, that the felicitie of his chosen people might be famous thorowout the whole world. But aboue all things, this was most memorable, that they should be preserued by day, by the couering of a cloud from the annoyance of too much heate, and that the piller of fire should goe before them in the night, to the end they should not wander or goe astray. The summe is this; that when God will gather home his Church from out of Babylon, that the manner of it shall bee no lesse admirable, then that by which the people were in times past deliuered out of Egypt. Not that they should be accompanied in the midst of their iournie betweene Babylon and Iudea, with the cloud and the piller of fire, as in the wildernes: but because he shewed testimonies of his fauour towards them by meanes no way lesse excellent then they. As if any should say at this day, The Lord will illuminate vs by the light of his holy spirit; he will giue clouen tongues, by which his Gospell shall be spread thorowout the world: No man would take this literally, as if the Holy Ghost should be sent downe from heauen in a visible forme: but this miracle should bee remembred only, to the end the faithful might learne to rest at this day vpon ye same power of God in the restauration of the Church, as the Apostles had experience of in their time. And withall, that by this manner of speech the Prophet mentioneth a continuall succession of blessing;
