John Trapp on Joel 2:21

Verſe 21. [illegible: 1 letter] tellus culta. Fear not O land,] O red earth, or O tilled land, that haſt layen bedridden, as it were, under the heavy curſe of God, ever ſince the fall of Adam: and waſt never beautifull, or cheerfull ſince that time, Gen. 3.17. Thou that haſt lately been under that great and very terrible day of the Lord, Ioel 2.11. who hath made bloody wails upon thy back, and laid thee as a deſolate wilderneſſe, verſe 3. to thy great grief and terrour: Cheer up now, and fear not. Thine inhabitants are Poenitents, and Repentance hath turned their croſſes into comforts; as ſcarlet pulls out the teeth of a ſerpent; as wine draweth a nouriſhing vertue from the fleſh of vipers, as the Philoſophers-ſtone, they ſay, turns all into gold. See 1 Pet. 1.7. God will turn all thy ſadneſſe into gladneſſe: neither ſhalt thou any more lye to thoſe that manure thee, (as the Scripture phraſe is, Habak. 3.17.) that is, diſappoint, and fruſtrate their expectation: but thine enemies ſhall be found liaers unto thee, Deut. 33.29.

for the Lord will do great things,]Spem mentita ſeges. Virg. Victum ſeges aegra negabat. Horat. Magnificentiùs aget Deus: far greater things God will do for thee, then the Locuſt hath done againſt thee: ſo that thou ſhalt gain by thy loſſes, and ſay, Periiſſem niſi periiſſem, I had been undone, if I had not been undone. Wherefore be glad and rejoyce with inward and outward joy. And becauſe Fear is a paſſion oppoſite to Joy, (for fear hath torment, 1 Joh. 4.18. and that was a rare mixture in thoſe good women that returned from our Saviours ſepulchre with fear and great joy, Mat. 28.8. See Pſal. 2.11.) therefore, Fear not, O land, quit thine heart of that cowardly paſſion, and be as merry as mirth can make thee; for the Lord hath done great things for thee, whereof thou haſt good cauſe to be glad. Faith in Gods Power quelleth and killeth diſtruſtfull fears: filling the heart with unſpeakable joyes,1 Pct. 1.8. and full of glory.