men unto him, Joh. 12. 32. Thus Arminius himselfe, the placeArm. in Perk. intreats of the amplitude of grace exhibited in Christ under the new Testament: and concludes his answer thus, that throughout all ages God hath willed that all men severally should come to the knowledge of the truth, and be saved, as they are comprehended in the Covenant of God, but not as they are fallen from it in themselves or their parents.
It is objected, That God willeth that all they should be saved, for whom we are to pray. But we must pray for all men. But the Apostles argument is otherwise, that we must pray for all men, because God willeth that all should be saved, that is, Gods will it is, that the Gentiles should be called, and added unto the Church, the Gospell should be preached amongst all Nations: therefore now pray ye for all men, specially for Kings, because by the good affection of Kings to Gods Church, the Church of God is like to prosper farre better then by the conversion of meane persons. But it no way followeth, that God willeth their salvation, because we pray for their salvation. The child prayeth for the Fathers health and recovery, when God willeth he shall die. If God should leave us to our owne desires, peradventure we should desire, not only that all that now live, but that all that ever lived might have been converted and saved: yea, that the Angels that fell might have been kept from sin, or having sinned might have been brought to repentance and saved. To desire that every one that now liveth might be saved, with submission to the will of God, is no incongruity. But we cannot inferre thereupon, that it is the will of God to save every man now living in the world, or to grant them meanes sufficient to come to the knowledge of the truth. Neither will it follow, that we must pray for every man in the world, in every age, knowne and unknowne unto us, such as we never heard of by relation, because we must pray for All men: for then all must comprehend even those that sinne sins unto death amongst the rest, unlesse we beleeve that there are no such sinners in the world: and he had need be of a strong faith, and have some extraordinary revelation that beleeveth that.
Then are we to pray for all and every Infidell, obstinate, rebellious person, even the whole Kingdome of Antichrist, that they might come to the knowledge of the truth: but he must be a manof
