A brief commentary upon the CIII Psalme with the severall axiomes or doctrines therein conteined [sic], and uses thereupon inferred.

Vers. 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that feare Him.

Now followes the Reason of the forego∣ing benefits. And 1 From the Causa pro∣egum. the internall moving cause, that is, the Mercy or loving-kindnesse of God: which is illustrated 1 From the greatnesse of it, in

this verse. 2 From the effects, vers. 12, 13. The greatnesse is illustrated 1 From the sub∣jects, or persons to whom it is shewed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 them that feare Him. 2 From a similitude, As the heaven is high above the earth.

1 Doctrine. The heaven is high above the earth.

• 1 The heaven.] There are 3 heavens 1 The lowest, the aire, wherein the fowle•• fly, and from whence the rain &c. descend, Mar. 4.4. Jam. 5.18. 2 The middlemost, wherein the sunne, moone, and starres are placed, Gen. 1.14, 15, 17. Mar. 13.25. 3 The highest of all, or the heaven of the blessed, Mat. 7.21. & 18.10. This num∣ber is gathered from the Apostles words 2 Cor. 12.2. where he sayth he was caught up into the third heaven: which was the highest, as appeares by the context. And this also is meant in this place, as fittest for Davids scope; though even this also comes infinitely short of that which it is here brought to illustrate.
• 2 The earth.] The earth here by a Synecd. memb. signifies the whole globe consisting of earth and water; as it is often taken in Scri∣pture, yea indeed alwaies, where the frame of the world is divided into heaven and earth, except onely where mention is made

• of the first act of creation: for there by the heaven is to be understood the highest hea∣ven with the Angels the inhabitants thereof; and by the earth the chaos, out of which all other things were formed in their severall de∣grees.

For the height of the heaven above the earth see Prov. 25.3. And how high even the 2^d heaven is, may hereby be gathered, in that the starres (whereof those of the first magnitude are sayd to be every one above 107. times as big again as the whole earth) do yet seem to us but as so many small sparks or spangles. But how high the 3^d heaven is above them, can not be conjectured, Ephes. 4.10.

The Reason hereof is from the will and power of the Creatour.

Uses.

For our instruction, see here 1 The im∣mensity of God, Job 11.7, 8, 9. Isa. 66.1. Yea whereas the distance of the opposite parts of heaven, is double to the distance of either of them from the center of the earth, yet God fills the whole, Jer. 23.24. Yea it cannot contein Him, 1 King. 8.27. Yea it is but a spanne with Him, Isa. 40.12. & 48.13. Although therefore God be other∣wise in heaven then in earth, otherwise in the

Temple then in private houses, otherwise with the saints then with the wicked: yet He is alwaies every where present; within all things, though no where inclu∣ded, without all things, though no where ex∣cluded.

2 Behold the great condescension of God, Who though He dwells in the highest hea∣vens, yet vouchsafes to take care of earthly things, (it is Davids observation Psal. 113.4, 5, 6.) numbring the haires of His chil∣dren, ordering the flying of every sparrow &c. Mat. 10.29, 30. But especially Our Saviours abasing Himself, in coming down out of the bosome of His Father, from the height of heavenly glory to the earth, and there living above 30 yeares in the forme of a servant, subject to many inconveniences and injuries, and at last being obedient to the death of the crosse, and lying three daies in the heart of the earth, and all this for our sakes, who had very ill deserved it at His hands.

Againe, if the heaven (Gods dwelling place) be so high above the earth, how mad are they that fight against God! For 1 Gods nature admits not that he can suffer any hurt. 2 Suppose He could, yet He is Omnipotent, and so able to repell it. 3 Grant He were

not, yet we know the higher ground is great advantage in fight. It was that the Jebusites were so confident in 2 Sam. 5.6. See Job 35.5, 6. Psal. 2.1, 2, 3, 4.

This should also exhort us to humility and reverence before God. Solomon gives this reason for it in prayer, Eccles. 5.2. And there is the same reason in all other things.

It should also dehort us from the immo∣derate love of this world.

Motiv. True felicity is in heaven, Psal. 16.11. Luke 12.33. In a word, there Christ is, Acts 3.21. Heb. 7.26. Coloss. 3.1. Look therefore how great the distance is between heaven and earth, so farre are we distant from true and perfect felicity, and ab∣sent from Christ our hope & our life, whilest we are at home in the body, creeping as wormes upon the ground. Let us not there∣fore say of this world, as S. Peter of the mount in another respect, It is good to be here: but let us so live, whilest we are here, that we may be admitted into heaven after this life; that is, let us doe the will of our Father, Which is in heaven, and then with the Apostle (2 Cor. 5.8.) desire ra∣ther to be absent from the body, and pre∣sent with the Lord.

2 Doctrine. As the heaven is high above the earth, so is Gods mercy great toward them that feare Him.

• 1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 mercy, or loving-kindnesse.] Of this, Vers. 4. Doctr. 4. and Vers. 8. Doctr. 4. Here it is taken largely, for propensity both to remove evil from us, and to bestow and continue good to us, and that notwith∣standing the demerit of our sinnes.
• 2 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 them that feare Him.] The feare of God here notes the whole worship or service of God. For that was the phrase of the Old Testament, whilest the heire, being yet a child, had indeed the Spirit of adopti∣on, but tempered with the spirit of bondage. The same thing (that is, the observation of the condition of the covenant) in the New Testament is called Faith or Trust.
• 3 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 toward] This preposition according to the nature of the speech wherein it is used, is diversly rendred. Most commonly [over] of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to ascend. Now a thing may be over another, either as being farre above it (as the heaven is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 over or above the earth) or, as contiguous to it, and so upon it. And whereas a thing may be so upon a man either for evil, Judg. 16.30. or for good, Psal. 133.2. hence it sometimes si∣gnifies

• [against] 2 Sam. 11.23. Psalm. 2.2. sometimes [towards] Psalm. 4.6. (that is, Be favourable to us, or manifest Thy love towards us) So here.
• 4 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 usually signifies [to prevaile] Now one thing may prevaile over another, either in strength (and so it is commonly taken) or (amongst other things) in height, as Gen. 7.19, 20. where the LXX render it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And feeing height commonly imports greatnesse, therefore our Translatours here render it not amisse [is great.]
• 5 The particle (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) here signifies not exact parity, but similitude.

For the greatnesse of Gods mercy or lo∣ving-kindnesse see Psalm. 108.4. where it is sayd to be above the heavens, as here the heavens above the earth. See also the places before quoted vers. 8. where God is sayd to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 great or plenteous in mercy.

Now the Mercy or loving-kindnesse of God in it self or in acta primo (as was sayd before vers. 8.) is His essence, and therefore is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 without cause. But in actu se∣cundo, that is, in the exercise, or effects of it (as here) towards them that feare Him, it hath a cause; viz. 1 His mercy in actu pri∣mo (that is, His pronenesse to doe good)

from whence in Christ (Who hath satisfyed His Justice offended by our sinnes) He hath graciously promised to shew mercy or lo∣ving-kindnesse to them that feare Him. 2 His Justice, Truth or Fidelity; which re∣quire the performance of His promise, though graciously made.

Uses.

Here then 1 we see there is in God infi∣nite mercy or loving-kindnes, whereby men may be invited to fear Him.

2 Seeing the subject or object of this mercy is limited to a certaine qualification, we may learn that God is so mercifull that He also doth not neglect His justice whereby he hates sinne.

3 Seeing this qualification is the fear of God; we see to whom, and to whom onely this mercy belongs.

4 It appeares how naturally miserable the condition of men (even of them that fear God) is, to need such mercy; and how happy in obtaining it. The least degree of Gods mer∣cy shewed to such is excellent; because it proceeds from His second love, & is a pledge of greater following. But the greatnesse of it we have here illustrated by a comparison; not fully, but as the nature of the world will afford, wherein the greatest height is that

of the heaven above the earth, that being the highest part of the world, this the lowest.

The limitation of Gods mercy to them that fear Him, reproves them, who, though they fear Him not, yet presume of His mercy.

On the other side it affords singular comfort to them who truely fear Him. Whatsoever good they lose, or whatsoever evil they suffer for this cause, it is all nothing to this Mercy. It comforts them also against the greatnesse of their former sinnes, if they now truely repent and fear God: For how great soever they were, they can not be so great as Gods mercy. Likewise against whatever calamities or af∣flictions they can suffer. For though they have not alwaies the sense of Gods mercy, He sometimes for a while hiding His face from them, either to try them (as in the hi∣story of Job) or to make them (before haply not sufficiently esteeming it) desire and seek it more earnestly being absent, and love and delight themselves in it the more being reco∣vered &c: yet it is most certaine, that Gods mercy is exceeding great towards them, and wil so appeare to them in due time.

Lastly this should exhort us 1 To feare God, that we may be qualified to be par∣takers of His mercy.

2 To imitate our heavenly Father, that as He is kind to all Psal. 145.9. Mat. 5.45. but more exceedingly to them that feare Him, so should we study to doe good unto all, but especially to them which are of the hous∣hold of faith, to them that feare God.

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