by which you may be assur'd, that they will be punish'd by the divine justice, and that you shall be rewarded with the kingdom of God, for which you suffer;

you would not by any pretended revelation, by any discourse or epistle ascrib'd to us, be immediately perplex'd in your minds, or under any concern for the approach of the day of the Lord.

We are oblig'd, my brethren, to render thanks to God continually upon your account, as it is but just; since your faith still improves, and your mutual love is always increasing.

and that you, who are distress'd, should obtain your repose, together with us, when the Lord Jesus, with his angels, the ministers of his power, shall descend from heaven,

and then the lawless will be discover'd, whom the Lord will extirpate by the spirit of his mouth, and at his glorious advent, will intirely abolish him,

As for you, my brethren, the favourites of the Lord, we are oblig'd to render perpetual thanks to God, for having chosen you from the beginning, in purifying you by his spirit, upon your believing the gospel.

that we did not eat any man's bread for nothing: but with toil and fatigue work'd night and day to avoid being chargeable to any of you:

pursuant to the maxim, which we laid down, when among you, "he that refuses to work should be deny'd food."

now being inform'd, that there are among you people of an irregular conduct, who neglect their own business, and busy themselves with the affairs of others:

and if any one should disregard what we have prescrib'd, signify it to us by letter, and don't converse with him, that he may be put to shame.