Neglect not the performance of the duty of prayer at the stated times for it.

From a full perfuafion of the goodness of God respecting you in all his appointments, be thankful for every thing and for every occurrence. For this difpofition of mind God, who has favoured you with the gift of the gospel, requires of you.

More particularly, cherish that temper of minď which is moft favourable to the fpiritual gifts with which you have been distinguished. Preferve yourfelves as the unpolluted temples, of the holy fpirit of God

Despise not the preaching of the gospel, and the ufual interpretation of the fcriptures in your affemblies, tho they be deftitute of the rhetorical ornaments of the Greek orators, to which you have been accustomed: At the fame time receive no manner of doctrine without proper examination; but, after proper inquiry, ad here to every thing that is folid and right, and reject every thing that is evil of every kind, and in every de gree; and may God, the author of all good, impart to you all spiritual bleffings, and thereby fanctify you, or render you fit for himself: and may all your powers and faculties be ever employed in the best manner, that you may be preserved blameless, and without spot, tilk the fecond coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Be af fured that nothing will ever be wanting on the part of God to this good end; for this is the great object of the gofpel which he has vouchsafed to you.

As I and my companions continually pray for you,

do

do you alfo pray for us, and falute all the brethren in the most affectionate manner for us all.

I ftrictly charge and adjure you, that you cause this epistle to be read to all the difciples in your city, and I conclude with fincerely wishing you all the bleifings of the gospel of Christ.

NOTES ON THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE

THESSALONIANS.

CHIP. 1. 1.

HAP. I. 1. This fecond epistle to the Theffalonians appears to have been written not many months after the former, viz. a. D. 52. while the apostle continued at Corinth, still accompanied by Timothy and Silas, or Silvanus. He appears to have received a favourable account of the reception of his former letter, but withal saw reafon to write another, in order to give the members of this new church fome farther admonitions and informations concerning fome miftakes they were ftill under, and to inforce fuch articles in his former advices as they had not given fufficient attention

to.

2. It cannot but be observed that, in the ufual tenor of fcripture language, God and Christ are carefully dif tinguished, the appellation of God being given to the C2. Father

Father only, exclufively of Chrift, as well as of all other beings.

5. The maxims of God's moral Government being well known to thefe christians, they would take it for granted that the diftinction between the righteous and the wicked, which could not with propriety be made in this world, would be made in another.

8. We fee here, as in the former epistle, that these perfecuted chriftians are referred for their reward to the fecond coming of Chrift, to raise the dead and to judge the world. No hint is given them of any recompence between the time of death and the refurrection, which the apofle could never have overlooked, if he had known of any fuch ftate.

9. Thefe terms, literally interpreted, would imply that the wicked are to be finally deftroyed, and an end put to their exiftence. But the term destruction is often used in the fcriptures to denote calamity in general, and fuch as has its period; and if the wicked be raifed from the dead, and continue to exift, it is not poffible, unless the conflitution of their natures be entirely changed, but that their sufferings will, in length of time, work a favourable change in the fate of their minds, fo that after an adequate punishment, their suf, ferings may be remitted, though it is probable they will never acquire that state of glory in which the virtuous will be established. But we are wifely kept in ignorance con cerning the purposes of God beyond the refurrection and the day of judgment. Of this we may be confident, that our maker, and the judge of all the earth, will do that which is right, and confequently that it will be well with

the

the righteous, but that woe will be to the wicked, fince they will both receive according to their works.

THE PARAPHRASE.

I Paul, accompanied by Timothy and Sylvanus, addrefs this fecond epifle to the members of the chriflian church at Theffalonica, who believe in the one true God, the Father, and in his Son Jefus Chrift. May you enjoy all favour, and all the bleffings which God beftows upon mankind, by the gofpel of his Son.

We esteem it our duty, as it is highly proper in itfelt to thank God for your increafing steadfastnefs in the faith, and that the effects of it appear in the increafing affection which you bear towards each other. On this account you are the fabject of our boafting in other churches, as alfo on account of the patience and fortitude which you have fhewn in all the troubles and perfecutions with which your faith has been tried. But in this you ought to rejoice, as what will certainly be followed by diftinguished honour and happiness in the kingdom of God, after that day of righteous judgment, in which he will reward all the faithful difeiples of his Son, and confound all his enemies. It is by the profpect of this that you are enabled to bear your prefent fufferings. It is indeed just that God, according to his promife, fhould exemplarily punish thofe who now dif trefs you. But as to you who are at prefent in diftrefs on this account, wait with patience, together with us, and all the difciples and followers of Chrift, for the glorious time when he fhall return from heaven, with pow er and great glory, accompanied by the angels, his minifters

C 3

ministers, flaming as it were with vengeance against all thofe who, notwithstanding the better information they have received, continue in ignorance, and in oppofition to the gospel of Chrift. In that awful day, all fuch enemies of the gospel, and of you who profess it, fhall be for ever driven from the joyful and glori ous prefence of that Saviour, who in that great day will appear truly glorious in the eyes of all his faithful disciples, and will be looked up to with joy and reverence by all his followers, and among the reft by you, who by our means were converted to christianity.

It is therefore the subject of our daily prayers, that God would so preserve you in the faith of the gospel, that you may, be worthy of being diftinguished in this manner, that all his gracious defigns in calling you to -the knowledge of the gospel may be fully accomplished; that by your proper conduct you may be an honour to the gofpel, which may redound to your glory, according to the gracious intention of God, and of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

Ch. II. In the former epifle the apostle had spoken of the coming of Chrift to judgment; and it seems that, by fome means or other, the chriftians at Theffa lonica had imagined that great day was near at hand. It is poffible that this might have arisen from the apoftle having ufed this expreffion we who are alive and remain tho' it was only a form of speech, the writer putting himself in the place of thofe who would be alive at that time. It feems however, that cther chriftians had entertained this opinion, and had endeavoured to bring the Theffalonians into it, and had alledged fome

other