It is alleged by Trinitarians, as a confirmation of the correctness of their views, that those views only can be made to harmonize with all the important truths of the gospel. I was once of the opinion that the doctrine of Jesus Christ's supreme Deity, was essential to several important doctrines revealed in the word of God. But I always felt a difficulty in attempting to reconcile it with the divine unity. And I may confidently appeal to every candid reader to determine, whether the views advocated in these pages, or the views of Trinitarians best accord with the important truth "To us, there is but ONE GOD, THE FATHER." Without reference to any particular system, let any christian candidly consider, whether he can possibly conceive of three equal persons, without conceiving of three equal beings? Can we conceive of three equal persons, each of which is God, without conceiving of three equal Gods? Or can we conceive of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as together constituting the only true God, without conceiving that the Father alone is not the one God? Far be it, that we should pry into those "secret things" which belong to God; but "the things which are revealed" are for us and for our children to understand. And what is more plainly revealed than the truth, that "there is but one God THE FATHER?"
An Examination of the Divine Testimony Concerning the Character of the Son of God, by Henry Grew (1824, chapter 8).
I admit I had been unsettled in my notions from the time I read Dr. Sherlock's book of the Trinity, which sufficiently discovered how far many had gone back toward polytheism; I long tried what I could do with some Sabellian turns, making out a Trinity of somewhats in one single mind. I found that by the tri-theistical scheme of Dr. Sherlock and Mr. Howe, I best preserved a Trinity, but I lost the unity: by the Sabellian scheme of modes and subsistences and properties, etc., I best kept up the divine unity, but then I had lost a Trinity, such as the scripture discovers, so that I could never keep both in view at once. But after much serious thought, and study of the holy scriptures, with many concerned addresses to the Father of lights, I found great reason, first to doubt, and after, by degrees, to alter my judgment in relation to formerly received opinions of the Trinity and the supreme deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. For though the word of God was my rule, I could not tell how to understand that rule but by the use of my reason; knowing well, that he who tells me I must lay aside my reason when I believe the gospel, does plainly declare, that to believe is to act without reason, and that no rational man can be a Christian.
The Proceedings Against Mr. Thomas Emlyn, by Thomas Emlyn.
