The abundance of apocalyptic ideas in the works of dissenting and Anglican authors reveals the persistence of these beliefs in the later seventeenth century in England. Their prevalence in those writings not only refutes claims that apocalyptic convictions only manifested themselves in radical and marginalized forms, but also displays the underlying religious and political divisions still present in Restoration society. Confessional concerns were not limited to anti-Catholic argument but were also apparent in unresolved issues of ecclesiastical dispute within England itself. Questions of the place of further reform and the need for acceptable political and religious settlement continued to motivate apocalyptic thought. In the 1680s, anxiety over English domestic circumstances became a dominant theme, providing a further catalyst to apocalyptic thought. This present chapter will concentrate on the years from 1678 to 1684, while the subsequent chapter will deal with the reign of James II and the Revolution of 1688–1689.

The application of apocalyptic explanations to the political crises surrounding the Popish Plot and succession during the final years of Charles II's reign depended on the continued certainty of its validity as a vehicle for understanding and interpreting the course of history in church and state. The profusion and vigour of apocalyptic expression through this time demonstrates the legacy of the previous decades in the endurance of apocalyptic thought, and its continued use as a means of political and religious commentary. Events in England between 1678 and 1684 inspired further speculation about the place and significance of contemporary affairs within the scheme of apocalyptic eschatology.