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The Lord willeth believers to pray even for the unjust and their persecuters, Matth. 5. 44. 48. Luke 6. 28. yea even for all men, yea even for Kings and all in authority, when few in authority loved Chri∣stianity, yet he said, not some of that sort, but for all in authority, and that on this greund: It is good in the sight of God, who will have all
men saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, Luke 10. 5. 1 Tim. 2. 1. 4. Surely there is a doore of life opened for all men, 2 Tim. 1. 10. For God hath not said to the seed of Israel, seeke yee me in vaine. Isa. 44. 19. He will not have his children pray for vaine things.
The strength of this proofe lyeth in supposing. First, that in∣definite Assertions are to be interpreted as equivalent to univer∣sall, which is false, Rom. 4. 5. 2ly, that by All: 1 Tim. 2. 1. is not meant all sorts of men, and the word All not to be taken di∣stributively, when the Apostle by an annumeration of divers sorts gives an evident demonstration of the distribution intended. 3ly, that we are bound to pray for every singular man that he may bee saved; which 1. wee have no warrant, rule, precept, or example for. 2. It is contrary to the Apostolicall precept, 1 John 5. 16. 3. To our Saviours example, John 17. 9. 4. To the counsell and purpose of God in the generall made known to us, Rom. 9. 11, 12, 15. and Chap. 11. 7. where evidently our praying for all, is but for all sorts of men excluding none, and that those may believe, who are ordained to eternall life. 4ly, it supposeth, that there is nothing else that we are to pray for men, but that they may bee saved by Christ, which is apparently false, Jerem. 29. 7. 5ly, that our ground of praying for any, is an assurance that Christ dyed for them in particular, which is not true, Acts 8. 22. 24. 6ly, It most splendidly takes for granted, that our duty is to bee confor∣med to Gods secret minde, his purpose and counsell, untill every one of these supposalls be made good, which never a one of them will be very suddenly; there is no help in this proof, nor strength in this Argument, we must pray for all, therefore God intends by the Death of Christ to save all and every one, its Sophi∣stry and weaknesse being apparent; from our Duty to Gods purpose is no good conclusion, though from his command to our duty be most certaine.