The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

I read indeed the Socinians affirming the contrary all of them in effect, and in particular Schlichtingius, Nothing can be believed, which cannot be apprehended and understood by reason, saith he: And again, It implies a contradiction, while he (that is, Meisner, against whom he disputes) affirms, it exceeds the reach of reason, and yet owns it for an Article of Faith: But I wish he had proved it, as he hath said it. What Contradictions are, whether Topical or Axiomatical, I know; but how this should imply a Contradiction (That I assent to this Proposition of my infinite Creator, and Sovereign Law-giver, because he hath spoken it, I believe it therefore, and receive it for an Article of my Faith, though my Reason is not able to grasp it, or demonstrate how it is true) I cannot yet understand: I challenge all the Socinians Logic to make it good. That the Socinians can impose upon us Contradictions to be assented to, and those gross ones too, is well known; Christ is a Dependent God, a Made God; What is this but a Contradiction? A Dependent God is as true, as Corpus infinitum. God may give his Creature a Command to be obeyed, of which Command he gives no reason, nay, the Command appears contrary to reason, and yet his Creature is bound to obey that Command. God commands Abraham to offer his Son, Gen. 22.2. Whether it was his Intention, Decree, that Abraham should offer his Son, was none of his duty to enquire into; a Reason for this Command he gives none; What reason Abraham could find out for this Command, I cannot tell. It appeared quite contrary to the ⟨image 11⟩light of natural Reason, and as contrary to the Promise of God made to Abraham as could be: Yet the Sovereign Authority of God was reason enough for Abraham to yield obedience to the Command. ¹If then the same Sovereign Authority gives me a Proposition, or Article (call it what you will) to be assented to, believed, the Sovereign Authority of this Prima Veritas, to whom Truth is essential, who cannot lye, Tit. 1.2. is as sufficient a ground for me to assent unto it, believe it, though I am not able to demonstrate the truth of it by my reason: And I do assent to, and believe the truth of it, because he speaks it, as strongly, as if I could make never so clear demonstration of it; this is so far from implying a Contradiction, that it is a plain moral Contradiction, not to believe it.