Joel further describeth the visitation and the fast.
at the windows like a thief.

1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape

them.

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks :

8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall

not be wounded.

9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in

10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

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

14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

LECTURE 1404.

Our gain in observing solemn national fasts.

This lively description of an invading host seems in many respects to correspond exactly with the discipline and strong defensive armour of the Roman legions. But it is not impossible, that all the four great ancient empires of the world, to which the Jews were in turn subjected, are signified by the four destructive swarms mentioned by this prophet in the former chapter. See Ch. 1. 4. And if so, it may be the intent of these prophecies to forewarn the people of God, that however they might glory in their independence, and deem themselves unconquerable, yet would they be given up for their sins, as an easy prey, to the destroying armies of the heathen; and especially to that last great conquering host, which is here more particularly described. In the former chapter God calls the country of the Israelites "my land." Ver. 6. Here He calls the host of their destroyers "his army," and their camp "his camp." An instructive change in the application of like words, shewing us, that though God's chosen people are peculiarly his, this does not exempt them from his judgments; and also, that they whom He has not chosen to the privileges of his covenant are notwithstanding his, as the creation of his hand, his, for the execution of his will.

If we consider this prophecy as descriptive of the several chief invasions by which the Jews from time to time suffered, and especially of the last and most destructive of them all, we may also regard the directions here given for holding a solemn fast of penitence and prayer, as a standing rule, applicable to the case of the Israelites, and to the case of Christians also, in any great emergency of their nation or their church. It is not known with certainty at what period Joel prophesied; but it was probably previous to the reign of Hezekiah in Jerusalem, certainly long before that of Josiah. In the solemn religious assemblies held by these two pious kings, we may see the application of these prophetic instructions. And in their history we read the blessings which ensued. In our own national experience, we too have found the like blessings follow on the like conduct. In the greatest contest we ever were engaged in, and the greatest danger we ever encountered, many a day of national fast and humiliation was duly appointed by our rulers, and solemnly observed by our people. We survived, when nearly all other nations fell. We triumphed over those who triumphed over them. Let us never forget to whom we were indebted for all our safety and success. And let us not doubt, that amongst the means whereby we obtained the blessing and help of the Most High were these, the devout national acknowledgment that we for our sins did worthily deserve to be punished, and the earnest national supplication, that God would be pleased notwithstanding to forgive us our sins, and to deliver us out of the hands of our godless enemies.

Blessings are promised to the church in different ages. caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent

18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. 21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice for the LORD will do great things.

22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

among you.

26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you and my people shall never

be ashamed.

27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions :

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. LECTURE 1405.

24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the

The many privileges which we enjoy under the Gospel. Great things are here promised to God's people, in case they will turn to Him with fasting and prayer, as they had been previously enjoined. "Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people." But it is clear that the promises here made are conditional. In some measure the conditions of repentance and prayer were made good on the part of the Israelites, when

And in some

they returned from the Babylonish captivity. measure they then enjoyed the plenty and the peace here promised. And if they did not enjoy more, this was altogether their own fault. Oh if we had but faith to rely on all God's promises, and to fulfil all that He commands, what a heaven on earth would even this life, with all its infirmities, become! what peace, what plenty, both temporal and spiritual, would flourish and abound throughout the world!

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh." This is a prophecy expressly interpreted by St. Peter of the gift of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. See Acts 2. 16. This renders it probable, that the previous promises relate in the first instance to times before Christ's coming. And it leads us on from the church privileges of the old dispensation to those of the New Testament. Abundance of corn, and wine, and oil, no longer satisfy the cravings of the human heart. Grace and godliness, peace with God through Christ, peace, and joy in believing, to be justified, to be sanctified, to be glorified, to have the full assurance of hope, that however happy this life may be made by holiness, yet will our death be gain unspeakable, these are the blessings which we are taught to long for, and privileged to enjoy, these we may now enjoy in plenty, and be satisfied, and for these it ought now to be our delight to praise the name of the Lord our God, who has dealt wondrously with us.

We

At the beginning of the Gospel there were wrought many signs and miracles, giving evidence to the outward senses of the gifts of the Holy Spirit within. If prophecies and dreams and visions soon ceased in the church, there remained, and there still remain, the spirit of holiness, the power of faith, the life of God in the soul of man, and a likeness unto Christ in the conduct of man, which testify beyond question, both to those who partake of them, and to those who behold them, that the Holy Ghost is with us of a truth. Wonders in heaven are moreover no longer to be seen; such as were displayed at the close of the former dispensation, both when Christ died on the cross, and when Jerusalem was levelled to the ground. But we have reason to expect the like at the close of the present state of things. See Rev. 16. 14. are taught to be always on the watch for Christ's coming in the clouds of heaven to call all mankind to judgment. And we have the authority of St. Paul for applying to the Christian period the promise here prophetically set forth, "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." See Rom. 10. 13. That day will not be terrible to those who trust in Him. The sun and moon may perish; but it will not be dark with them. Christ will be their light and glory. Christ will be their shield and their defence. His coming is that for which they have looked and longed. His countenance, so fearful to many, it is their heart's desire to behold. His glory, so full of terror to the wicked, it has been the great object of their life to promote.