The Man of Lawlessness

1Now we conjure you, brethren, that with respect to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our being assembled with him, 2you 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. 3don't be led into any mistake, because the previous rebellion does not yet appear, nor the man of sin throw off the disguise, that offspring of perdition: 4that adversary that exalts it self above the divine authority of majesty: that is seated in the temple of God, pretending to be it self divine. 5don't you remember, I told you this, when I was with you? 6and you know what hinders his throwing off the disguise at a time which he enjoys for the present. 7for the secret spirit of misrule is ready to break out as soon as the obstacle is taken away: 8and 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, 9who by the instigation of satan will make his parade with various arts, with fallacious signs and prodigies, 10and with all the vile methods of imposture, to the ruin of those, who are averse to the truth, by which they might be saved. 11wherefore God will suffer a spirit of delusion to work them into the belief of a lye: 12to the condemnation of all those, who instead of embracing the gospel, had pleasure in iniquity.

Stand Firm

13As 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. 14to this he has called you, to a life of glory with our Lord Jesus Christ. 15be stedfast therefore, and firmly maintain the doctrine I have delivered to you, either by word of mouth, or by my letter.

16Now may our Lord Jesus Christ, and God our father, who has loved us, and by his favour given us the advantageous hopes of eternal joys, consolate your souls, 17and establish you in all sound doctrine and virtue.