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which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: For ve, brethren, became followers of those Christian Churches, which are planted in Judea: for ye also have suffered, from your countrymen of Thessalonica, the very same kind of persecutions, which they suffered of their countrymen, the Jews:

II. 15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men :

Which Jews, that ye may see and know ye have partners in all your sufferings and hard measures offered unto you, have proceeded very maliciously in their cruel persecutions: for they both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own holy Prophets; and have spitefully chased us, who are of their blood and nation; and have run very deep upon the displeasure of God, and oppose themselves against all men in resisting the course and success of the Gospel among the Gentiles :

II. 16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

That they may make up that full measure of their own and their forefathers' sins, upon the fulfilling whereof, God hath intended to sweep them away with his judgments, by the hands of the Romans; and to execute his wrathful displeasure and vengeance upon them to the utmost.

II. 18 But Satan hindered us.

But Satan stirred up these envious Jews, to raise oppositions against me; and by these means hindered my journey to you.

III. 1 We thought it good to be left at Athens alone.

We were well content rather to be left alone at Athens, than ye should want the help and comfort of so worthy a teacher, as Timotheus our brother.

IV. 4, 5 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.

That every one of you should know how to use and govern his body, holily and chastely; Not yielding yourselves over to be slaves unto your own beastly lusts and inordinate desires, as the Gentiles which know not God.

IV. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who also hath given unto us his Holy Spirit.

He, therefore, that despiseth these wholesome and Apostolical counsels and commands, despiseth not man, but God himself; who hath given us his Holy Spirit, and hath indited these things

unto us.

IV. 9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write

unto you for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

I need not give this literal charge to you, of loving one another, as if it were a thing as yet unperformed of you; for God hath already written these real characters of love in your hearts, and hath enabled you to give good proof of this Christian charity to each other.

IV. 11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands.

And that ye do earnestly affect and studiously endeavour for peace and quietness; and, laying aside all curious intermeddling with other men's business, be careful of your own.

IV. 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

Carry yourselves in an honest and seemly fashion among the Gentiles; not giving them occasion of scorn, by your baseness and idle want but labour in your vocations, so as that ye may have lack of nothing; nor be too much beholden to others' courtesy.

IV. 13 Concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Concerning your dead friends, that ye sorrow not for their loss, in an over passionate and immoderate fashion and measure, like to Gentiles, that apprehend not the hope of a Resurrection.

IV. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For this we deliver unto you, as from the express charge of God, that those, which shall be found alive, at the Second Coming of the Lord to Judgment, shall not prevent them, which are before dead in their graves, so as to be glorified before them.

IV. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

For the Lord himself shall personally descend from heaven, with a mighty noise; even with the loud and powerful voice of an Archangel, which shall be as the trumpet of God, to summon the world before the Tribunal of Christ; and then, they, that are dead in the faith of Christ, shall rise, ere the full consummation of the living.

V. 1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

But as for any special designation of the times and seasons of Christ's.coming, brethren, it is curiosity for you to enquire into it; and unnecessary for me to write thereof to you.

V. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

This yourselves know perfectly already, and it is enough for you to know it, that whensoever that day cometh, it shall come suddenly and inexpectedly, even as a thief in the night.

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V. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

Therefore let us not give up ourselves to a carnal security, as do others; but let us be watchful and sober.

V. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

For the time of darkness is fit for the works of darkness: sleepers and drunkards make choice of the night, as meetest for them.

V. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of sal

vation.

But let us, who are children of the light, and with whom there is no night of riot and disorder, be ever sober: our profession calls us unto it; for we know we are in a continual warfare: we must therefore be ever watchful; and be furnished with the breastplate of a lively faith in Christ, with love to our brethren, and with hope of salvation by Christ as with a helmet.

V. 12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you. And we beseech you, brethren, that you take special notice of and give due regard to those your spiritual overseers, which labour amongst you in word and doctrine, and have the charge of your souls committed unto them by the Lord, and do admonish you.

V. 16 Rejoice evermore.

Rejoice in the Lord always; and let none of the outward crosses of this life rob you of your joy in the Holy Ghost.

V. 17 Pray without ceasing.

Pray upon all occasions, and at all meet opportunities; and be evermore lifting up your hearts, in heavenly ejaculations to God. V. 19 Quench not the Spirit.

Do not ye cool and discourage, and, as much as in you lieth, quench and put out the good graces of God's Spirit, either in yourselves or in others; but cherish and foster them.

V. 20 Despise not prophesying.

Despise not the preaching of the Gospel, upon any pretence soever, whether of the meanness of gifts, or of prejudice against the teacher; but reverence and honour it.

V. 23 And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I pray God, that all your inward faculties of understanding, will, affections, and all outward members of your bodies may be preserved, &c.

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS.

I. 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Which very afflictions and persecutions suffered by you are a manifest and clear proof of a judgment to come, wherein the Righteous God of all the World shall declare you to be accounted of him, in his great mercy, worthy of that kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

I. 6, 7 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, &c. Seeing it is a most just and righteous thing with God, not to let wicked persecutors go away, at last, unpunished; but to return pain and torment to them that trouble you; And to you, that are troubled by them, eternal rest and glory, together with us and all his Saints; in lieu of those miseries they have cast upon you, &c. I. 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whose presence shall be exceeding dreadful to the wicked: for he shall come, in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that would not know God; and that yield not their obedience, but make opposition to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I. 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

When he shall come in wonderful and unconceivable glory, which he shall not reserve to himself, but impart to his saints; in whose brightness, and conformity to the glorious body of Christ, his infinite goodness and mercy shall be then admired; even, in the glorification of all that believe: amongst whom ye also have your part, forasmuch as ye have believed that Gospel, which we delivered unto you.

II. 1, 2 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand,

Now we beseech and adjure you, brethren, by that sure and dear account that ye make of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of that glory which we shall enjoy with him when we shall be taken up to meet him in the clouds, That ye be not soon driven away from that truth of doctrine, which hath been delivered to you, concerning the coming of Christ; nor be disquieted in your thoughts, either by pretences of revelations, or by pretence of

report, or letter sent as from us; as if the day of his coming were instantly at hand.

II. 3, 4 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalieth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

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Let no man deceive you, by any false suggestions of the haste of that day for it shall not come, till after there have been a sensible and general defection from the faith of Christ and the purity of the Gospel; and till that Antichrist, the noted and eminently sinful enemy of Christ, that son of perdition, be revealed; Who, in the pride of his heart, opposeth himself against and exalteth himself above all those sovereign powers that are called gods here on earth, and above and against him that is the only true God; crossing and contradicting his word and ordinances; so as that he tyrannizeth in and over the Church of God, bearing himself as if he were the absolute Lord and God thereof.

II. 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

And now ye know, both by that which I spake to you in presence, and that which I have now written, what let lies in the way of his revelation; and what it is that must be done and expected, ere that enemy of Christ do fully discover himself; namely, that the Gospel must both be universally preached and revolted from, and that the Roman empire must be removed ere he can fully shew himself.

II. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the

way.

For there are already foundations secretly laid for this Antichristianism; and this deep mystery of iniquity doth, though closely and insensibly, even already work: only, the powerful and flourishing estate of the Empire, which now hindereth any such present usurpation, will let, until it be taken out of the way. II. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, &c.

And then shall that Wicked One shew himself in his colours; who shall continue to oppose the truth of God, and to infest his Church, until the Lord shall, by the power of his Gospel, overthrow him; and shall utterly destroy and confound him, with the glory of his coming to judgment:

II. 9, 10 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Even that presumptuous enemy of Christ, whose coming shall be graced and set forth by the working of Satan and all the powers of darkness; with mighty works, with strange miracles and lying wonders, And with all the fraud and imposture that wickedness

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