Matthew Poole and continuators on Joel 2:13

13 And rent your heart and not your garments , and turn unto the LORD your God : for he is gracious and merciful e, slow to anger , and of great kindness , and repenteth him of the evil .

Lay them open as Chyrurgeons lay open putrifying sores that they may be throughly cleansed, remove iniquity from your heart, as the Chaldee Paraphrast.

As hypocrites do who in sudden or great troubles easily stoop to tear a lose garment, but hardly are brought to rent their Hearts, what God expecteth most they cannot be perswaded to, but what he careth lest for they are ready to do. Be not such Hypocrites before God who cannot be mocked, nor spare them who dare do it; let your Garments scape if you please, but your hearts break them, circumcise them, Deut. 10.16.

In repenting keep hope alive, look to God as your God, who by Covenant hath promised to shew you Mercy on your repenting, and turning to him, Deut. 13.17. and chap. 30. ver. 8, 9. Isa. 55.7. Ier. 31.19, 20. and 32.38, 39, 40.

Gentle, easie to be intreated, and ready to forgive the guilty.

Who hath spared, doth still spare, and waits purposely that you might have time to repent, and turn and live.

Your provocations are many and great, yet return for his mercy is great, his kindnesses are many.

Not as man but as becometh his own holy, just and immutable nature, he turneth from executing the fierceness of his wrath, Ier. 18.7, 8, 9, 10, be wise and obedient, and follow my counsel repent and make your peace with God.

Compassionate and ready to shew pitty and relieve the indigent, you are both guilty and afflicted return to your God, who is gracious to pardon your guilt, and merciful to relieve your miseries.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 51.17.; [illegible: 1 letter]xod. 34.6. [illegible: 1 word] 86.5, 15. [illegible: 1 word] 4.2.