Matthew Poole and continuators on Mark 1:15

15. And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye and believe the gospel.

It should seem that Iohn had but a short time, wherein he exercised his publick Ministry, he was the Son of a Priest Zacharias Luke 1.13. and it is probable that he entred not upon his publick Ministry, till he was thirty years of age, (it was the Sacerdotal age, and the ageat which Luke telleth us our Saviour entred upon his publick Ministry.) He was but about six Moneths older then our Saviour, and was imprisoned, as soon as our Saviour entred upon his Ministry, indeed before we read of his entrance upon it. Upon his Imprisonment, Christ beginneth to Preach in Galilee, the Gospel by which he set up his Kingdom, and which leadeth Men to the Kingom of God. And saying, The time is fulfilled, the time determined of God for the Revelation of the Messias, and the grace of the Gospel through him, foretold by the Prophets Dan. 2.44. hence Christ is said to have come in the fulness, and in the dispensation of the fulness of time Eph. 1.10. Gal. 4.4. And the Kingdom of God is at hand, the gracious dispens[illegible: 1 letter]tion of God in the Gospel is at hand, or hath approached. Repent you. Turn from the wickedness of your ways, and b[illegible: 1 letter]lieve [illegible: 1 letter]he Gosp[illegible: 1 letter]l, or in the Gospel, to believe the Gospel is one thing, to believe in the Gospel, (as it is here in the Greek) is another. The former phrase signifies no more then a firm, and fixed assent to the Proposition of the Gospel, but to believe in the Gospel, is to place our hope of Salvation in the Doctrine, and promises of the Gospel, which are the proximate object of our Faith, tho the primary object of it be the Person of the Mediator. There is a Repentance that must go before Faith, that is the applicative of the promise of pardoning mercy to the Soul, tho true Evangelical Repentance, which is a sorrow for Sin, flowing from the sense of the love of God in Christ by the fruit, and effect of Faith. Our Saviours Preaching agreeth with the Baptists Matth. 3.2. Iohn 3.23.