The Return of Prayers

In the words you have a discovery of Gods proceedings in treating of peace or proclaiming war with his people and subjects.

Obser. 1 1. You see that sometimes ⟨p. 249⟩God doth not seek peace to his own children. This was their state for the present, when this Psalm was penned: He will speak peace, therefore at present he did not; yea, it may incline us to think that God at present spake the contrary, for the Prophet speaks this by faith, as contrary to sense, and present experience; he believes God intends to come again to a treaty of peace, though now he seems to have nothing but anger, and blood, and war in his looks, speeches, and actions; and to threaten and proclaim war, and take up Arms against them. And thus God often ⟨p. 250⟩deals with his own Children, whether a people or a particular man: so with a nation, Isaiah 63. 10. They rebelled, and he fought against them: so with a particular man, God frowned upon and rated his Child Ephraim, and spake bitter things against him, (it is the phrase used, Jer. 31. 20.) though yet Ephraim is my pleasant Child says he: David had not a good word from him a long time, Psal. 51. 8. Make me to hear again of joy and gladness. And Psal. 50 7. Hear oh my people, and I will speak, but not against them they might hope, because he owns them for his people: ⟨p. 251⟩Hear oh Israel, and I will testify against thee: and yet it follows, I am the Lord thy God. Job (says, he did not speak only against him, but also wrote bitter things, he wrote as it were books against: him, Job 13. 26