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

Some may be friends to the Saints at one time, and bitter enemies to them at another.

And as the Scripture is full of such examples as these, so also are Ecclesiastical histories: 'Tis storied of Domitian ¹a most cruel persecutor of the Christians, who studied and invented cruel deaths for them, that when he came to the Crown could not endure blood to be shed, no not for sacrifices. 'Tis also reported of Nero, ²that for five years he was so pitiful and full of mercy, that when they came to have his hand to the sentence of execution of a malefactor, He would wish that he could not have writ, ³that so he might not be used in any such thing; and yet where had the Common-wealth of Rome, or the Church of God a more desperate enemy or cruel persecutor? Oh that God would grant this may never be our case: What had we at the first,⁴ in the beginning of the Parliament, how did they show themselves and did great things? stood against Arbitrary government, impeached great ones, executed justice upon a Peer or two?⁵ What a mighty spirit was raised in the countries to second and stand by the Parliament! now where's the man that ever thought there would be such a party of Lords and Commons found to join with a company of Papist, Atheists, Malignants, and Irish Rebels, against the Cause of God and the Gospel, and every thing that is truly good? Oh most horrid apostasy! that this morning cloud which in the beginning shined so gloriously should thus vanish and come to nothing! And for others that are not in public places, though perhaps not so bad as others,⁶