An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

But though wicked men do strive, yet as Samson said unto the men of Judah that came to bind him that they might deliver him into the hands of the Philistines, Do not ye fall upon me your selves. It were well if faithful Ministers were not striven withal many times by those that are godly. It is not so much for a faithful Minister to have wicked and ungodly men to strive with him. Though they bind them, Oh brethren do not do not you bind them: after that in conscience of their duty and in love to your souls they have hazarded all the hatred and malice that may be of the adversary, even to stand in the fore-front as the But to their malice, yet in requital of all, even many that are godly, if they see them grow troublesome, they are ready to strive with them; because wicked men are exasperated by the Word of God preached, therefore they could wish that even such Ministers had never come amongst them, and this even such as make profession of godliness do. Is here a requital of he hazard that faithful Ministers undergo? I appeal unto you, Are there any people in the Kingdom that stand as a But against the malice of the Adversary, so much as godly and faithful Ministers do? Do not think that it is out of that precipitancy, that ra hness that we do not consider what danger we stand in in doing what we do; yes, we consider it beforehand, But out of conscience of our duty and in faithfulness unto your soul• we hazard our lives, we hazard all the rage and malice of the Enemy. Now when we have done all this, we expect a far better requital from many people than we find. When Moses and Aaron came unto the people of Israel when they were in Egypt to deliver them, (for that was their message) but because for the present their bondage was increased and the wr•th of Pharaoh more incensed, therefore they were weary of Moses and Aaron, and they fall to striving with them as if they were the cause of their misery, Why 'twas better with us before than three you came, if you had never come amongst us it would have been better with us.

But though wicked men do strive, yet as Samson said unto the men of Judah that came to binde him that they might deliver him into the hands of the Philistins, Do not ye fall upon me your selves. It were well if faithful Ministers were not striven withal many times by those that are godly. It is not so much for a faithful Minister to have wicked and ungodly men to strive with him. Though they bind them, Oh brethren do not do not you bind them: after that in conscience of their duty and in love to your souls they have hazarded all the hatred and malice that may be of the adversary, even to stand in the fore-front as the But to their mallice, yet in requital of all, even many that are godly, if they see them grow troublesom, they are ready to strive with them; because wicked men are exasperated by the Word of God preached, therefore they could wish that even such Ministers had never come amongst them, and this even such as make profession of godliness do. Is here a requital of he hazard that faithful Ministers undergo? I appeale unto you, Are there any people in the Kingdom that stand as a But against the malice of the Adversary, so much as godly and faithful Ministers do? Do not think that it is out of that precipitancy, that ra hness that we do not consider what danger we stand in in doing what we do; yes, we consider it beforehand, But out of conscience of our duty and in faithfulness unto your soul we hazard our lives, we hazard all the rage and malice of the Enemy. Now when we have done all this, we expect a far better rquittal from many people than we find. When Moses and Aaron came unto the people of Israel when they were in Egypt to deliver them, (for that was their message) but because for the present their bondage was increased and the wrth of Pharaoh more incensed, therefore they were weary of Moses and Aaron, and they fall to striving with them as if they were the cause of their misery, Why 'twas better with us before than three you came, if you had never come amongst us it would have been better with us.