John Calvin Commentary Acts 3:19

"Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord;" — Acts 3:19 (ASV)

Repent. We must note that when he exhorts to repentance, he also declares that remission of sins is prepared for them before God. For, as I recently said, no one can be stirred up to repentance unless he has salvation set before him; but whoever despairs of pardon, being, as it were, already given over to destruction, does not fear to run headlong against God obstinately.

This is why the Papists cannot truly teach the doctrine of repentance. Indeed, they babble a great deal about it; but because they overthrow the hope of grace, they cannot persuade their disciples to diligently pursue repentance. Moreover, I acknowledge that they babble a little about the forgiveness of sins; but because they leave people's souls in doubt and fear, and furthermore, cast them, as it were, into a labyrinth (a place from which they do not know how to escape), this part of their doctrine is corrupt, and thus they also confound the other.