necessarily pre-requisite to a right to the baptism urged by the apostle, is
the natural seed of Abraham are designed in these words, "For the promise is to you, and to your children." So the children here spoken of, are the children of remote godly parents. Two things here remain to be proven for clearing of the assumption: 1. That repentance is required as necessary antecedently to a right to baptism here enjoined. 2. That in the call to baptism, the children of those parents are comprehended as well as themselves.
1. As to the first, That repentance is required of the parents in this text, as necessarily pre-requisite to a right to the baptism urged by the apostle, is plain, if ye consider, in the first place, That if they had right to baptism antecedently to their repentance, the apostle could not have denied the same unto them till they did declare it; and that the rather, that they were now pricked at the heart for their murdering of Christ, and crying out, "What shall we do to be saved?" Yet we find the apostle requires, in the first place, that they should repent, and stays their baptism till they have evidenced their repentance, notwithstanding that their present perplexity required a speedy possession of those privileges they had right unto. And when the apostles do fall a-baptizing, they baptize those, and those only, who gladly received Peter's word, ver. 41. Further, how could they have been baptized antecedently to their repentance, seeing they were to be "baptized in the name of Jesus Christ," as says the text; and none but Christ's disciples ought to be baptized? Matth. 28:19. They could not be accounted Christ's disciples till they professed their faith in him, and their repentance; and consequently till then could have no right coram ecclesia to baptism in his name. Finally, they are called to be baptized for the remission of sins, non obtinendam, sed obsignandam, i. e. in testimony of remission of sins: but this could not be before faith, seeing it is by faith we obtain remission; and faith cannot be without repentance. Wherefore it is evident, they are called to repentance as necessary antecedently to baptism.
2. For the second, That the call to baptism here comprehends the children of these parents as well as themselves. Metanoesate, kai baptistheto ekastos humon. The authors of Antisynodalia Americana will have these words (if I right remember) read, "and every one of you be baptized," (it seems) that the sense may be, Every one of you that repent