THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
IT is more than probable, that this second Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians was written not a longer space after the first, than two years. The chief scope of it seems to have been by way of fortifying their minds against the assaults of persecution, which ran very high at that time. It should seem also, that the Church of God in Thessalonica had conceived the day of judgment to be at hand. And, if one may conjecture from what the Apostle hath said in various parts of this Epistle, many of the people were tempted therefrom to neglect the honest attention to their calling, and the care of their families. But while Paul sets himself in this Epistle to correct these things, he doth not lose sight of making Jesus the grand feature of this, as well as his other writings and preachings.
I do not think it necessary to make any further detention by way of Preface, to the immediately entering upon the Epistle itself, only first to beg the Reader to bend the knee in prayer with me before the Almighty Author of it, the Holy Ghost, to bless it to the Church in every age, till time shall be no more.