Joel 3

^{1 !} Of the judgement of God against the enemies of his people.

^{1 a} When I shal deliuer my Church, which standeth of the Jewes, and of the Gentiles.

^{2 b} It appeareth that he alludeth to that great victorie of Jehoshaphat, when as God without mans helpe destroyed the enemies {2 Kin. 20, 26} also he hath respect to this worlde, Jehoshaphat, which signifieth pleading or judgement, because God wolde judge the enemies of his Church as he did there.

^{3 c} That which the enemies gate for the sale of my people, he bestowed it vpon harlotes and drinke.

^{4 d} He taketh the cause of his Church in hand against the enemies, as thogh the injurie were done to him self.

^{4 e} Haue I done you wrong, that ye wil render me the like?

^{8 f} For afterwarde God solde them by Nebuchad-nezzar and Alexander the great, for the loue he bare to his people, and thereby they were comforted as thogh the price had bene theirs.

^{10 g} When I shal execute my judgements against mine enemies, I wil cause euerie one to be ready, and to prepare their weapons to destroy one another, for my Church sake.

^{13 h} Thus he shal incourage the enemies when their wickednes is ful ripe to destroy one another, which he calleth the valley of Gods judgement.

^{16 i} God assureth his against all troubles, that when he destroyeth his enemies, his children shalbe deliuered.

^{17 k} The strangers shal nomore destroy his Church: which if thei do, it is the people which by their sinnes make the breache for the enemie.

^{18 l} He promiseth to his Church abundance of graces, read {Ezek. 47, 1}l, which shulde water and comfort the moste baren places, {Amos. 9, 13}.

^{19 m} The malicious enemies shal haue no parte of this grace.

^{21 n} He had suffered his Church hither to lye in their filthines, but now he promiseth to cleanse them and to make them pure vnto him.