are the arguments urged in favour of making void God's commands by man's traditions. But the Judge standeth at the door.' He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.' NOTES. NOTE 1. (See Preface to the First English Edition.) This is surely a loose way of speaking about standards* and the Scriptures. Every one knows that the most erroneous sects profess to take the Scriptures for their guide. Arians, Unitarians, and others, equally unsound in doctrine, speak precisely in the same loose way. Standards are understood to be a short connected view of the sense in which we understand Scripture to speak. And the use of standards is, that those who join together in communion may know what are each other's common sentiments on the leading doctrines of Scripture; and that they may serve as a confession to those who may inquire what is their belief, as distinguished from others who also own the Scriptures to be a Divine revelation. NOTE A. (See page 20.) IMMERSION AND IMMERSE.-For this writer to assume at once, that the word 'baptizo' means to immerse,' is a very short way of settling the question; but it may be asked, is it a sure one, or a fair one? Let us look to the reason he gives in Notes 1 and 2. It is proper, he says, to call * That the reader may correctly apprehend the meaning of this and some other expressions in these Notes, it is proper to state, that their author is a member of the Established Church of Scotland. M |