er the Old Testament were commanded to be circumcised, Gen.
xvii.; for, the privileges of believers under the New Testament are as
large as the privileges of believers under the Old Testament: and the
children of believers under the New Testament are federally holy, and
within the covenant of God, as well as the children of believers under
the Old Testament, Gen. xvii., compared with Rom. xi. 16; 1 Cor. vii.
14: and what objections can be made from infants' incapacity now,
against their baptism, might as well then have been made against their
being circumcised: and why children should once be admitted to the
initiating sacrament, and not still be admitted to the like initiating
sacrament, (the Lord of the covenant and sacrament nowhere forbidding
them,) there can be no just ground. And baptism succeeds in the room of
circumcision, Col. ii. 11, 12. _Thus in case of the Lord's supper_,
apostles were commanded to dispense it, and men commanded to receive it.
"Do ye this in remembrance of me," Matt, xxvi., 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25; yet
by consequence, the ministers of the gospel succeeding the apostles,
being stewards of the mysteries of God, have the same charge laid upon
them; and women as well as men are enjoined to keep that sacrament,
whole families communicating in the passover, the forerunner of the
Lord's supper, Exod. xiv., and male and female being _all one in
Christ_, Gal. iii. 28. _Thus in case of the maintenance of ministers
under the New Testament_: the apostle proves it by consequence to be
commanded, God hath ordained, &c., from God's command of not _muzzling
the ox that treads out the corn_, and of maintaining the priests under
the Old Testament, 1 Cor. ix. 14, &c.; l Tim. v. 17, 18. And thus, in
case of church polity, the Hebrews are commanded to obey and be
subordinate to their rulers in the Lord, Heb. xiii. 17; consequently,
other churches are commanded not only to have rulers, but to obey and
submit to their rule and government. Timothy is commanded to lay hands
_suddenly on none_, &c., in ordaining of preaching elders, 1 Tim. v. 21,
22; consequently, such as succeed Timothy in ordaining of preaching
elders are enjoined therein to do nothing suddenly, hastily, &c., but
upon mature deliberation. The apostle commands, that men must _first be
proved, and found blameless, before they execute the deacon's office_, 1
Tim. iii. 10; by consequence, it is much more necessarily commanded,
that ruling elders should first b