The second to the Thessalonians hath in the title as the first: Paul and Siluanus and Timothee, &c. And therfore it seemeth to haue bene vvritten in the same place, to vvitte, at Corinth, vvhere they remained ^note a yere and sixe moneths, & straight vpon their answer to the first epistle.

First he thanketh God for their increase, and perseuêrance (comforting them againe in those persecutions) and praieth for their accomplishment. Secondly he assureth them, that the day of Iudgement is not at hand, putting them in remembr&abar;ce vvhat he told them thereof by vvord of mouth, vvhen he vvas present (as therfore he biddeth them aftervvard ^note to hold his Traditions vnvvritten, no lesse then the vvritten,) to vvitte, that all those persecutions and heresies, raised then, and aftervvard against the Catholike Church, vvere but the mysterie of Antichrist, and not Antichrist him self. but that there should come at length a plaine Apostasie, & th&ebar; (the vvhole forerunning mysterie being once perfitly vvrought) should folovv the reuelation of Antichrist himself in person (as after all the mysteries of the old Testament, Christ Iesvs our Lord came himself in the fulnes of time.) And then as length after all this the day of Iudgement and second comming of Christ shal be at hand, and not before, vvhatsoeuer pretense of vision, or of some speach of mine (saith S. Paul) any make to seduce you vvithal, or of my former epistle, or any other. For vvhich cause also, in the end of this epistle, be biddeth them to knovv his hand, vvhich is a signe in euery epistle.

Lastly he requesteth their praiers, and requireth them to keepe his commaundements and Traditions, namely that the poore vvhich are able get their ovvne liuing vvith vvorking, as he also gaue them example, though he vvere not bound thereto.

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS. Chap. I. He thanketh God for their increase in faith and charitie, and constancie in persecution (assuring them that they merite thereby the kingdom of God, as their persecutors do damnation:) 11 and also praieth for their accomplishment.

1   Pavl and Siluanus and Timothee: to the churche of the Thessalonians in God our Father and our Lord Iesvs Christ.

2   Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Iesvs Christ.

3   Vve ought to giue thankes alvvaies to God for you brethren, so as meete is, because your faith increaseth excedingly, and the charitie of euery one of you aboundeth tovvards eche other:

4   so that vve our selues also glorie in you in the churches of God, for your patience, and faith in al your persecutions and tribulations, vvhich you sustaine

5   for an example of the iust iudgem&ebar;t of God, that ^note you may be ^note counted vvorthie of the kingdom of God, for the vvhich also you suffer.

6   if yet it be iust vvith God to repay tribulation, to them that vexe you:

7   and to you that are vexed, rest with vs in the reuelation of our Lord Iesvs from heauen vvith the Angels of his povver, ^note

8   in flame of fire, giuing reuenge to them that knovv not God, & that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesvs Christ.

9   vvho shal suffer eternal paines in destruction, from the face of our Lord and from the glorie of his povver:

10   vvhen he shal come to be ^note glorified in his sainctes, and to be made maruelous in al them that haue beleeued, because our testimonie

concerning you vvas credited in that day.

11   Vvherein also vve pray alvvaies for you, that our God ^note make you vvorthie of his vocation, and accomplish al the good pleasure of his goodnesse & the vvorke of faith in povver,

12   that the name of our Lord Iesvs Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God, and of our Lord Iesvs Christ. Chap. II. He requireth them, in no case to thinke that Domesday is at hand, 3 repeating vnto them, that there must before come first a reuolt, secondly the reuelation also of Antichrist him self in person, and that Antichrist shal not permit any God to be vvorshipped but onely him self: that also vvith his lying vvonders he shal vvinne to him the incredulous Ievves. But Christ shal come then immediatly in maiestie, and destroy him and his. 13 Therfore he thanketh God for the faith of the Thessalonians, 15 and biddeth them sticke to his Traditions both vvritten and vnvvritten, & praieth God to c&obar;firme them.

1    ^noteAnd vve desire you, brethren, by the c&obar;ming of our Lord Iesvs Christ, and of our congregati&obar; into him:

2   that you be not easily moued from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle as sent by vs,09Q1260 as though the day of our Lord vvere at hand.

3   Let no man seduce you by any meanes, for09Q1261 vnlesse there come ^note a reuolt first, and09Q1262 the man of sinne be reuealed, the sonne of perdition,

4   vvhich is an aduersarie & is09Q1263 extolled ^note aboue al that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth 09Q1264 in the temple of God, shevving him self as though he were God.

5   Remember you not, that vvhen I vvas yet vvith you, I told you these things?

6   And now09Q1265 vvhat letteth, you knovv: that he may be reuealed in his time.

7   (For novv the mysterie of iniquitie vvorketh: only that he vvhich novv holdeth, doe hold, vntil he be taken out of the vvay.)

8   And then that vvicked one shal be reuealed ^note vvhom our Lord Iesvs shal kil vvith the spirit of his mouth: & shal destroy vvith the manifestation of his aduent, him,

9   vvhose comming is according to the operati&obar; of Satan,09Q1266 in al povver, and lying signes and vvonders,

10   and in al seducing of iniquitie to them that perish, for that they haue not receiued the charitie of the truth that they might be saued.

11   Therfore ^note God vvil send them the operation of errour, to beleeue

lying:

12   that al may be iudged vvhich haue not beleeued the truth, but haue consented to iniquitie.

13   But vve ought to giue th&abar;kes to God alvvaies for you, brethr&ebar; beloued of God, that he hath chosen you first-fruites vnto saluation, in sanctification of spirit and faith of the truth:

14   into the vvhich also he hath called you by our Gospel, vnto the purchasing of the glorie of our Lord Iesvs Christ.

15   Therfore brethren stand: and hold ^note the09Q1267 traditi&obar;s vvhich you haue learned, vvhether it be by vvord, or by our epistle.

16   And our Lord Iesvs Christ him self, and God & our father vvhich hath loued vs, and hath giuen eternal consolation, and good hope in grace,

17    ^{note note}exhort your hartes, and confirme you in euery good vvorke and vvorde. ^{note note}

^note

^{note note}

^note

^{note note}

Chap. III. He desireth their praiers, 4 and inculcateth his precepts and traditions, namely of vvorking quietly for their ovvne liuing, commaunding to excommunicate the disobedient.

1   For the rest, brethren, pray for vs, that the vvord of God may haue course and be glorified, as also vvith you: ^{note note}

2   and that vve may be deliuered from importunate and naughtie men. for al men haue not faith.

3   But our Lord is faithful, vvho vvil confirme and keepe you from euil.

4   And vve haue confidence of you in our Lord, that the things vvhich vve commaund, both you doe, and vvil doe.

5   And our Lord direct your hartes in the charitie of God, and patience of Christ.

6   And vve denounce vnto you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Iesvs Christ, that you vvithdravv your selues fr&obar; euery brother vvalking inordinatly, and not according to the ^note traditi&obar; vvhich they haue receiued of vs.

7   For your selues knovv hovv you ought to imitate vs: for vve haue not been

vnquiet among you:

8    ^noteneither haue vve eaten bread of any man gratis, but in labour & in toile night and day vvorking, lest vve should burden any of you.

9    ^noteNot as though vve had not authoritie: but that vve might giue our selues a paterne vnto you for to imitate vs.

10   For also vvhen vve vvere vvith you, this vve denounced to you, that if any vvil not vvorke,09Q1268 neither let him eate.

11   For vve haue heard of certaine am&obar;g you that vvalke vnquietly, vvorking nothing, but curiously meddling.

12   And to them that be such vve denounce, & beseeche them in our Lord Iesvs Christ, that vvorking vvith silence, they eate their ovvne bread.

13   But you brethren ^note fainte not vvel-doing.

14   And if any09Q1269 obey not our vvord,09Q1270 note him by an epistle:

15   and do not companie vvith him, that he may be confounded: and do not esteeme him as an enemie, but admonish him as a brother.

16   And the Lord of peace him self giue you euerlasting peace in euery place. Our Lord be vvith you al.

17   The salutation, vvith mine ovvne hand, Paules: vvhich is a signe in euery epistle. so I vvrite.

18   The grace of our Lord Iesvs Christ be vvith you al. Amen. ^note

^{note note}

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