The way to true happiness in a serious treatise /

V. Against his Offices. God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour, Acts. 5. 31. he should act against both, should he save men in their sins. It is the Office of a King. Parcere subjectis, & d•bellare sup•rbos. ⟨p. 80⟩To be a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well, Rom. 13. 3, 4. He is a Minister of God, a revenger to •ecute wrath on him that doth evil. Now should Christ favour the ungodly (so continuing) and take those to reign with him, that would not that he should reign over them, Luke 19. 27. this were quite against his office. He therefore reigns, that he may put his enemies under his feet: 1 Cor. 15. 25. now should he lay them in his bosom he should cross the end of his regal power. It belongs to Christ, as King, to subdue the hearts, and slay the lusts of his chosen, Psal. 45. 5. Psal. 110. 3. What King would take the rebels, in open hostility, into his Court? What were this but to betray Life, Kingdom, Government and all together? If Christ be a King, he must have homage, honour, subjection, &c. Mal. 1. 6. now to save men while in their natural enmity, were to obscure his dignity, lose his authority, bring contempt on his Government, and sell his dear-bought rights for nought.

Again, as Christ should not be a Prince, so neither a Saviour, if he should do this. For his Salvation is spiritual, he is called Jesus, because he saves his people from their sins,