manner of life, which the world cannot see or discern; for it is hid and laid up with Christ, in God; as out of the knowledge, so out of the danger of the world.

III. 5 Mortify therefore your members which cre upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, &c.

Mortify therefore all the limbs of your earthly and sinful corrup tions; fornication, uncleanness, &c.

III. 9 Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; Seeing that ye have put off your old depraved nature, with the sinful works thereof;

III. 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him :

And are professed, that ye are become new men, renewed in knowledge and all holy disposition; after the image of God, who hath created this new heart in you:

III. 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, &c.

In which business of renovation, there is no respect of persons at all, whether a man be a Jew or a Greek, &c. but every man is accepted, according to that measure, wherein Christ his Saviour, and his Holy Spirit, dwells and works in him.

III. 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bocels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.

Contrary, therefore, to those limbs of your corruptions, take to yourselves, as it becomes the elect children of God, holy and beloved, all those graces of regeneration, which are meet for your Christian profession; tender-mercies and compassion, kind

ness, &c.

III. 14, 15 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

And, above all these, see that your hearts be filled with charity, which doth perfectly unite together all the members of this mystical body; and, by and in which, all other graces are perfected, for the use of God's Church. And let that Christian peace, which God worketh in you, and which your holy profession calleth you to, by virtue of your union with the whole Church, rule and reign in your hearts.

III. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms &c.

Let the doctrine of Christ be familiarly settled in your hearts, and make you rich in all wisdom; so as that ye may be able to teach and admonish one another; that ye may express the joy of your hearts in psalms &c.

IV. 3 That God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds.

That God would vouchsafe unto us fair and happy opportunities

of preaching the Gospel; and give us powerful assistance, and abilities to deliver the great mysteries of the Gospel of Christ, for which I am now in bonds.

IV. 5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Walk carefully and wisely, and carry yourselves inoffensively towards those that are not of the Church of God; and take all advantages and opportunities of doing good.

IV. 6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Let your speech be always gracious and savoury, such as may argue the holy disposition of the heart, from whence it comes; so framing your words to the occasion, as that ye may return a meet answer to every man.

IV. 11 These only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

These two only of the Jewish nation have helped me, in the preaching and furtherance of the Gospel; and have been comfortable unto me, in their encouragements and loving minis

trations.

IV. 16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

And, after that this Epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the neighbour Church of Laodicea; and let this inclosed Epistle, which was written to me from Laodicea, importing much the good of you all, be likewise read amongst you.

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS.

I. 3 Remembring without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

We do, upon all occasions, give thanks to God, for your faith, hope, and charity; and for the gracious effects and proof of them all: that your faith hath approved itself in good works; your love, in a laboursome endeavour for the help of your brethren; your hope, in a patient enduring of sufferings; whereby ye have fastened yourselves upon our Lord Jesus Christ, in sincerity, as in the sight of God, our Heavenly Father;

1. 4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. Knowing, brethren, and being upon good reason fully persuaded, that ye are elected of God, to salvation.

1. 5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

And the ground of this our persuasion is the happy and fruitful

success of our preaching amongst you: for our Gospel was not only verbally preached amongst you, and so formally entertained; but it was both delivered and received amongst you, in much powerful working upon your hearts, with much evidence of the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance of the infallible truth thereof; as we do also appeal to your consciences, after what manner we demeaned ourselves amongst you, with what meekness, patience, diligence for the winning of your souls.

I. 9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

For when we go about to report your forwardness, they are ready to prevent us; and, upon famous relation, can tell us how loving entertainment and kind acceptance we had from you, in our first entering to you and how cheerfully ye obeyed our Gospel, in turning presently from your idols, to serve the true and ever-living God.

II. 1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain.

For yourselves, brethren, and your own consciences can abundantly testify, that our preaching amongst you was not in vain,but exceedingly effectual.

II. 2 To speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. To speak unto you the Gospel of God, with much fervency of zeal, and with powerful opposition of the gainsayers.

II. 3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile.

For our teaching amongst you was not in a colloguing and colluding fashion, to make a gain secretly of you; neither was it in a plausible way of humouring uncleanness and impurity of living. II. 5 Nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness.

Neither did I make my preaching as a colour or cloke of my covetous seeking for wealth, as if I aimed at my profit only, in my teaching.

II. 6 When we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

When we might have taken upon us, and have required a chargeable maintenance, and have borne a port, fit for the Apostles of Christ.

II. 8 But also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. Not the Gospel only, but our very lives also, which are worthy to be most dear and precious to us.

II. 12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

That ye would walk in so holy a manner, as might become those, whom God hath honoured with the high calling of Christianity, and to whom he hath intended to give so glorious a kingdom.

II. 14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of Goa

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 ye, 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.

VOL. IV.

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