To the Reader.
taken out of our Hiſtorians; the latter are faithfully collected, either out of our own proper obſervation, or from the teſtimony of eye witneſſes: and this laſt perſecution of Ferdinand, although it may ſeem to bee raiſed on politick cauſes, and a great part of thoſe miſeries which befell the faithfull, to be acted by the licenciouſneſſe of Souldiers, by the courſe of War, yet none will deny, but that the conſtant aſserters of the Goſpel were Martyrs, who will conſider thoſe words in the 13 Revel. 7. and it was given to the Beaſt to make Warre with the Saints, and overcome. Had not Nebucadonozor a politick cauſe to deſtroy Jeruſalem (to wit) the raſh and obstinate defection of the Jewiſh people from him, yet you may know what account God makes of his deſtroying them: conſult with Iſaiah 47. 6, 7. Jer. 50. 18, 19. Zach. 1. 14, 18. and in many other places. Did not the Jewes give occaſion to the perſecution of Antioch, by their Domestical tumults, as may appear in the 2. of Machabees 5. 11? there is another intention in
God,
