John Trapp on Joel 2:14

Verſe 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent &c.] Hitherto the Prophet had argued from Gods gratious diſpoſition: now here from his curteous and bounteous dealing with his converts.

who knoweth if &c.] This is not the ſpeech of one that doubteth and is uncertain (as was that of D[illegible: 1 letter]vid 1 Sam. 12.22. who can tell whether God will have mercy on me, that the child may live?) but of one earneſtly affirming and avouching, as was that of Mordecai Eſth. 4.14. And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for ſuch a time as this? q. d. 'Tis ſure thou art. And it is no leſſe ſure that if men Turn to God, he will turn to them Zach. 1.3. and that whitherſoever he comes, [illegible: 1 letter]e leaves a bleſſing behind him. His favour is no empty favour: it is not like the winter-Sun, that caſts a goodly countenance on the earth, but gives little heat and comfort God ever comes with his Cornu-copia in his hand: and his ſteps drop fatneſſe. Then ſhall the earth yield her increaſe, and God even our own God ſhall bleſs us, ſaith the church Pſal. 67.6. He will do it the rather, ſaith our Prophet, that his people may the more cherefully ſerve him, when they ſhall have a meat-offering and a drink offering, [illegible: 1 letter]alvin. et ſic maneat int ger cultus ipſius, and ſo he may have his dayly ſervice duely performed: for of this the ſaints are moſt ſolicitous: it is their deſire that God ſhould be glorified, rather then that themſelves ſhould be gratified, and their own turns ſerved.