Acts 17:30 and Matthew 11:21 - John Brine

With Respect, Sir, to what the Author [the Baxterian] observes of all Men being commanded to repent , it intends a forsaking of Idolatry, and embracing the Worship of the true God alone (Acts 17:30, 31). F3 The Distinction of natural and evangelical Repentance, of common and special Faith, which he before allowed, he now denies, and demands Proof that John the Baptist uses the Distinction, when he preached Repentance; I think, Sir, I may demand of him to prove that this Distinction, cannot take Place in his Discourses, since it is evidently found in Scripture; and if he is not able to give Proof that his Scope and Design, will not admit of this Distinction, however positive he may be, of being in the Right, at least, it is possible he may be in the wrong. I beg leave to observe to you, Sir, that our Saviour manifestly speaks of Repentance, when evangelical Repentance is not intended. The Place I now refer to is Matthew 11:21, they would have repented long ago in Sackcloth and Ashes . Upon no Scheme can Repentance here mean evangelical; it cannot upon the Calvinistical Scheme is certain, this is so evident that nothing is required to evince it. Nor can it intend such Repentance upon the Arminian and Baxterian Schemes, for if God foresaw that they would have repented, in Case such Works had been done among them, he would have wrought those Works in their View to bring them to Repentance; upon the Foresight of which, he decreed the Happiness of Men, according to these Schemes, and therefore this Writer, who is no Calvinist , but a Baxterian , I should think must grant that evangelical Repentance, is not there intended; for ‘tis strange to suppose God to decree the Happiness of Men, upon Condition of Repentance and Faith, and yet determine to withhold those Means from them, which he foresees would bring them to Repentance and Faith.

Matthew 11:20 - William Styles

Matt. 11:20, Jesus “upbraided the cities,”—“because they repented not.” Here the Lord speaks of the Repentance He enforced as the act of cities collectively, which clearly shows that it was not individual, as is that which is unto life eternal. Isa. 27:12.

“If we say that the Repentance contemplated by our Lord in addressing Capernaum, etc. (Matt. 11:23) was unto eternal salvation, we must add that it is an eternal pity that the works of Christ were not done in Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, for ‘they would have repented long ago,’ and gone to heaven for ever! It is, however, evident that our Lord meant such moral Repentance as would have stayed impending judgments, and so the offending cities ‘would have remained unto this day.’”—John Foreman.