The doctrine of the synod of Dort and Arles, reduced to the practise With…

Nay, Gerardus Vossius, who is conceived to have laboured most in communicating unto us the new Doctrine of Antiquity on these points;¹ interprets this will of God, touching the salvation of all, of voluntas conditionata thus, God will have all to be saved, to wit, in case they believe. Which voluntas conditionata in this sense neither Austin did; nor do we deny. Though we think it nothing agreeable to this place of Paul, who attributes unto this will of God not only the saving of all, but their coming also to the knowledge of his truth; The condition whereof Vossius (for ought I remember) doth not explicate. But the same Vossius confesseth that the Apostle in that place, in saying▪ I will that prayers be made for all men, for Kings, &c. doth herein subijcere speciem generi, as much as to say, that by the word Kings, he sets down the specialty of that general (all men) which formerly he mentioned, Now, the specialty, here mentioned, is clearly a special condition, and consequently by the general (all men) is to be understood all conditions of men, as Pisca•or argueth. And so when giving a reason of this his exhortation, he addeth, that God will have all to be saved; in congruity to the former we may very well understand thereby all conditions of men, which is enough to justify, that it is the duty of every Christian congregation to pray for their rulers and governors, because even amongst Kings, God hath some that belong unto him, and therefore their own Kings may be some of them, for any thing they know to the contrary.

Nay, Gerardus Vossius, who is conceaved to have laboured most in communicating unto us the new Doctrine of Antiquitie on these points;¹ interprets this will of God, touching the salvation of all, of voluntas conditionata thus, God will have all to be saved, to witt, in case they beleeve. Which voluntas conditionata in this sense neyther Austin did; nor doe we deny. Though we thinke it nothing agreeable to this place of Paul, who attributes unto this will of God not onely the saving of all, but their comming also to the knowledge of his truth; The condition whereof Vossius (for ought I remember) doth not explicate. But the same Vossius confesseth that the Apostle in that place, in saying▪ I will that prayers be made for all men, for Kings, &c. doth herein subijcere speciem generi, as much as to say, that by the word Kings, he setts downe the specialty of that generall (all men) which formerly he mentioned, Now, the specialtie, here mentioned, is clearly a speciall condition, and consequently by the generall (all men) is to be understood all conditions of men, as Piscaor aguth. And so when giving a reason of this his exhortation, he addeth, that God will have all to be saved; in congruitie to the former we may very well understand thereby all conditions of men, which is enough to justfie, that it is the duetie of every Christian congregation to pray for their rulers and governours, because even amongst Kings, God hath some that belong unto him, and therefore their owne Kings may be some of them, for any thing they know to the contrary.