Now they shall say, We have no King &c

Now they shall say, We have no King &c.

When did they say so?

The times that this refers to, seems to be those that we reade of in 2 Kings 17. If you read that Chapter, you shall find the times that this has reference to; then they might well say, We have no King; because we feared not the Lord: What then should a King do to us?

For the observations from it, the first is this:

It's a great evil for a people, not to have the protection and the blessing that might be enjoyed in the right government of a King over them: a great evil. And they complain of it as a great evil, and so far their complaint is right, that they are now deprived of the protection and good that otherwise they might have had from the right government of a King over them.

And my Brethren, our condition is even such in regard of the personal presence and protection of a King, in those regards we may almost use the same words as here, and say, We have no King among us. And whether it be better for a people to have no King, or to have no protection from their King? But that which is contrary to protection is a question fitter to be discussed and determined in a Parliament than in a Pulpit; and to them I shall leave it.

But the Church of God shall never have cause to make this complaint, that they have no King. In (Psalm 29:10-11) the Lord sits King for ever. The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. In (Psalm 45:6) your Throne (O God) is for ever and ever: the Scepter of your Kingdom is a right Scepter. In (Psalm 145:13) your Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom: and your Dominion endures throughout all generations. In (Psalm 149:2) let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.