Paraphrase of the Hard Texts of Scripture, Scripture 49
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF S. PAVL THE APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS.
CAP. I.
WHich very afflictions, and persecutions suffered by you,5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdome of God, for which ye also suffer. are a manifest and cleare proofe of a judgement 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 kingdome of God, for which ye also suffer.
Seeing it is a most just, and righteous thing with God,6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you: not to let wicked persecutors goe away, at last, unpunished; but to returne paine and torment to them that trouble you.
And to you that are troubled, by them, eternall rest,7 And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven, and glory, together with us, and all his Saints; in lieu of those miseries they have cast upon you, &c.
Whose presence shall be exceeding dreadfull to the wicked;8 In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. for hee shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that would not know God, and that yeeld not their obedience, but make opposition to the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When hee shall come in wonderfull,10 When hee shall come to bee glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that beleeve, because our testimony among you, was beleeved, in that day. and unconceivable glory; which hee shall not reserve to himselfe, but impart to his Saints; in whose brightnesse, and conformity to the glorious body of Christ, his infinite goodnesse, and mercy shall be then admired: even, in the glorification of all that beleeve; amongst whom ye also have your part, forasmuch as yee have beleeved that Gospell, which we delivered unto you.
CAP. II.
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,NOw we beseech, and adjure you brethren, by that sure, and deare account that yee make of the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of that glory, which wee shall injoy with him, when wee shall be taken up to meet him in the clouds,
2 That yee be not soone shaken in minde, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.That yee be not soone driven away from that truth of doctrine, which hath beene delivered to you, concerning the comming 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 comming were instantly at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any meanes, for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sinne be revealed, the sonne of perdition.Let no man deceive you by any false suggestions of the haste of that day; for it shall not come, till after there hauehave beene a sensible and generall defection from the faith of Christ, and the purity of the Gospell; and till that Antichrist, the noted, and eminently sinfull enemie of Christ, that sonne of perdition, be revealed.
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he as God, sitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himselfe that he is God.Who in the pride of his heart opposeth himselfe against, and exalteth himselfe above all those soveraine powers that are called gods here on earth, and above, and against him, that is the onelyonly true God; crossing and contradicting his word, and ordinances; so as that he tyrannizeth in, and over the Church of God, bearing himselfe as if hee were the absolute Lord, and God thereof.
6 And now yee know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.And now yee know, both by that which I spake to you in presence, and that which I have now written, what let lyes in the way of his revelation; and what it is that must de done, and expected ere that enemie of Christ doe fully discover himselfe; namely, that the Gospell must both be universally preached, and revolted from: and that the Roman empire must be removed ere he can fully shew himselfe.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already worke: only he who now letteth, will let, untill he be taken out of the way.For there are already foundations secretly laid for this Antichristianisme; and this deep mystery of iniquity doth (though closely and insensibly) euen already worke: onelyonly the powerfull, and flourishing estate of the Empire (which now hindreth any such present usurpation) will let, untill it be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that wicked be revealed, whō the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth.And then, shall that wicked one shew himselfe in his colours; who shall continue to oppose the truth of God, and to infest his Church, untill the Lord shall by the power of his Gospell overthrow him; and shall utterly destroy and confound him, with the glory of his comming to judgement.
Even that presumptuous enemy of Christ,9 Even him whose comming is after the working of satan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders: whose comming shall be graced, and set forth by the working of satan, and all the powers of darknesse; with mighty workes, with strange miracles, and lying wonders.
And with all the fraud & imposture that wickednesse can devise to use for the delusion of those miserable clients of his; which perish,10 And with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse in them that perish: because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. because they imbraced not that truth of God which was offered unto them, that they might be saved.
And for this wilfull refusall of Gods truth,11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions. it shall be just with him to give them over unto strong delusions, &c.
Because,13 Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and beliefe of the truth. however others may be miscarried with these powerfull deceits, yet for you, wee are perswaded that God hath, from before the beginning of the world, chosen you to salvation, which yee shall happily attaine unto, through the sanctification of the holy Ghost, and your firme faith in the truth of God revealed unto you.
And hold fast all that wholsome doctrine of the Gospell, which I have delivered unto you,15 Therefore brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which yee have beene taught, whether by word or our epistle. either in my sermons, or in my Epistles.
CAP. III.
THat the word of the Lord may be universally preached and willingly received;1 That the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you. and be glorified in the effectuall power thereof, in other places, as it is with you.
And that wee may be delivered from absurd and perverse men, both those false hypocrites,2 And that wee may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. which closely underworke the Gospell, and those publique opposers of the truth, which persecute us, for the professing of it; which that they doe, it is no marvell; for all men have not faith, to know and yeeld to the truth; that is a singular gift of God, which he hath bestowed onelyonly on some; it is no marvell if others hate and persecute it.
And not after that holy counsell,6 And not after the tradition which yee received of us. and charge which he received of us.
Not because wee had not just liberty, and power to require maintenance from you, in lieu of our labours;9 Not because wee have not power, but to make our selves an ensample unto you to follow us. but that wee might thus make our selves examples of painfulnesse, unto you, for your imitation.
14 Note that man, and have no companie with him, that he may bee ashamed.Set a marke on such a one; and doe both give up his name to me, and censure him with a just ejection, out of your company, that he may with shame be won to reformation.