Ch. 2, 3. Stand fast H. Thefialonians. againfi idlenefs. Ch. 3. God for you, that from the beginning he hath Z. And that our Perfons may be preferved, hofen and marked you out for Salvation, by and óur Preaching profper, against all the en. fän&ifying you by hisSpirit, and givingyou a deavours ofabfurd and wicked Men, who are foundbelief of that Truth',which thefe Apoftates air adverfaries. For faithlefs Men are every do deny. whereagainft us. Note, That God's Ele&ionconneð the End 3. But the Lord is faithful, who. and Means ; whom he chufeth to Salvation,he ht once chu( ch to San&ificatioti and confirmed mall ftablifh you, and keeou front Faith. 14. Whereunto he called you by our gofpel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jefus Ch rift. 4. And I am thankful that my Preaching ghé Gofpel was the means by which he called you hereto, and to obtain your part with Christ In gory. 15. Therefore, brethren, Band fart, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whetherby word, or our epi file. n 5. Therefore stand fall, and hold the fame Poitrinewhich I have delivered to you, whe- ther by Preaching, Difcourfe, or Writing againte all innovatingSeducers. e6. Now our Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf, and God even our Father, whichbath lovedus, and bath given tIs everlafting confolation and good hope through grace. 17. Comfort $rour l,earts, and ftablifh you in every good word and work, t, 17. And I have great encouragement rp pray for you; in hope that you may be coni- Forted and eftahlifhed inall that is good, becaufe it is to that Chriff that is our Saviour, and God who is our Father, andbath already thewed that he loved; us,and bath by hisGrace given us to- /id }lope, and the foretafte of the everlafting Con olation: C H A P. III. L Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word ofthe Lord may have free courte; and be glorified e- yenas it is with you. I. And as I pray for you, pray ye for us, That the Word of God may. run .abroad with £peed and' profperous Succèfs, and hoe to be 'slope or hindred by Perfècutors contradi&ions, èr fwddalous Sedgcers,bur may behonoured by free and full Reception end Obedience, as it is with you (which Piaile I givè you to cocoa- Ydge you, . 2. And that we máy.be delivered from unreafonable and wicked men: far MI men have nut faith. 3. But the) Men be faithlefs who refill me; we have afaithful God, who will confirm you, and keep you aimSatan and from evil. 4. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we com- mand you. 4. And we have good hope that you will Mil follow the Precepts which wegive younone the 5. And theLord dire&your hearts into the loveof God, and into the patient waiting for Chrift. s. To which endI pray, that God would di. red your Hearts to love himfelf, and patienrly to wait for Chrift, and thefe two Graces will keep you in obedience from backlliding. 6. Now we command you,brethren in thegame of our Lord Jefus Chis1}á that ye withdraw your felves from e- very brother that walketh diforderly, and not after the tradition which he received ofus. 6. And this is one of the Commands which in the name OfChrift I have todeliver you, to preferve you' from revolting, r,iz. to keep your Society clean from Scindal, by avoiding the fa- miliar company ofevery one profefling Chri- ftianity,who liveth diforderly,and notaccording to the LawofChristwhich wedelivered to him. Note, i. That there is a degree of avoiding Familiaritywith a diforderly ChriSian, to frame him ¡nth Repentance, and to preferve our felves, and the Honour ofChnftianity, which is'ffrort ofa públick Declarative,`Excommunication, and tailing ourof the Church. it isjuftly called S4- 15eifiou, betaufe a Man is not to be Exconímuni rate till he be proved obftinately Impenitent: Bat a Man that is guilty ofa notorious fcanda- lous fn; maybe (Upended while he is nuclei' tryal whether he will repent ornót. 2. Note, That this Commandofwithdrawing from the diforderly, Both not require that wd withdraw from the- Chiieh when fach intrude, or are there'permitted. Nomore than you mutt forfake your ownHoufeandFamily ifhe intrude!, Youhaveright and command to be there, the hehave no right, 3, Not
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