Concerning Repentance, Title page – Dedication
A TREATISE Concerning REPENTANCE, Wherein also, The DOCTRINE OF RESTITUTION Is handled at large: With a Solution of many Cases of Conscience concerning the same.
Written by CHRISTOPHER BLACKWOOD, a Servant of Jesus Christ.
LONDON, Printed by J. C. for Giles Calvert, at the black Spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls. 1653.
To the Right Honorable, EDMOND LƲDLOW Esq;, Lieutenant-General of the Parliament's Forces in IRELAND; Miles Corbet and John Jones, Esq;s, Commissioners of the Commonwealth of England for the affairs of Ireland.
Noble Senators,
COnsidering the great veil of darkness spread over all Nations, and more particularly, the gross Darkness in this Nation of Ireland, I have bent some of my studies to open the way of salvation in this Treatise presented to your Honours, as also in divers other Treatises which I have already published, and have further to publish, the Lord assisting. That this may come to the world with the more countenance, I have prefixed your Honours names.
My prayer to the Lord is for your Honours, That you may every way, in the compass of your Callings, build the old waste places in this Nation, and raise up an happie foundation for many generations; that you may be called, The repairers of the breach, The restorers of paths to dwell in. I have no more at present, save that I am
Your Honours humble and obliged servant, CHR. BLACKVVOOD.
Matth. 4.7.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
WE have here Christ beginning his Ministery: whose Calling thereto is confirmed,
1 By a voice from heaven, Mat. 3.17. also, Chap. 17.5.
2 By a miraculous fourty days fast, Matth. 4.
In which observe,
1 The occasion of his Ministery, viz. John his being cast into prison, verse 12. Christ comes and preaches the same doctrine which John had preached.
2 The place of his Ministery, which was Capernaum, a City of the lower Galilee, towards Iordan verse 15.
3 The ends of his Ministery, which are, for fulfilling of Prophecies, verse 14, 15. which though the Prophet Isaiah spake of the darkness of Captivity, and the light of deliverance by King Cyrus; yet the light of the Gospel was prophesied of: which light was manifested to the people that sate in darkness and in the shadow of death.
4. The exercise of his Ministery described,
First, from the time: From that time Iesus began to preach; that is, from the time Iohn was cast into prison.
Secondly, the text, or duty comprehended in the text, viz. Repent: It was that text Iohn had preached from Mat. 3.2. and that duty he had exhorted his hearers to.
3 The Motive; viz. The kingdom of heaven is at hand: that is, there are present profers of Grace wherein pardon of sin is offered to you now, and a kingdom of glory hereafter, in case you do repent.
From the time viz. Iohn's being cast into prison,
Observe: When faithful Preachers are restrained from peaching, others that have their liberty should be so much more careful to preach to the people of God: so doth Christ here, when Iohn was shut up in prison.
The preciousness of the soul, the wants of Gods people, and the testimony of the Truth, which must have some to assert it, calls for it. Hence Elijah was so zealous against the worshippers of Baal, because an hundred of the Lords Prophets were shut up. Truth will not suffer us to be silent, and the World will not suffer us to speak. Hence we must encourage our selves in God, in doing duty.
Ʋse:
Exhortation to Teachers in such times to put on a spirit of boldness to make known the Gospel: 1 Thess. 2.2, 3. After we had been shamefully intreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to make known to you the Gospel. Acts 4.29. Grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word.