A Conclusion of the Whole Work

Abstract

Here hast thou (good Christian reader), to thy soul’s consolation, from the eternal trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, three distinct persons in one everlasting godhead—the universal estate of the church from Christ’s ascension to the end of the world in wonderful mysteries described and directed unto thee of him by the most holy apostle and evangelist Saint John, wherein it is fully by all due circumstances manifested of the said Holy Ghost what the innocent Christian church is, with all her justifications and blessings, to the singular comfort of the Lord’s true elects, and what the proud synagogue of antichrist is, with her filthy superstitions and plagues, to their forewarning also. This is specially done here of the said Holy Ghost that no true believer should profess himself a citizen of this wretched world with Cain, Nimrod, and other reprobate vessels at the execrable doctrine of men, but at the pure voice of God with Abel and Abraham to seek for that heavenly heritage which is purchased for them in Christ’s blood. Mark here the condition of John being in most painful exile, for he in mystery through all this book representeth every godly believer. By this shall ye well know in this revelation the one church from the other, for the one is maintained by the only preaching of God’s pure word, the other by all kinds of Jewish ceremonies and heathenish superstitions. And by this they also differ: that Christ would have all of love, antichrist of tyrannous constraint (as evidently appeareth in Muhammad and the pope). For that only cause are many necessary things here written in mystery: that they should be hid from the worldly wise hypocrites, and that the just or God’s meek-spirited servants should ask them of their Lord in faith and prayer—in the which daily prayer is that most worthy minister of God, King Henry the Eighth, afore all other to be remembered, which hath so sore wounded the beast that he may before his departure, or Prince Edward after him, throw all his superstitions into the bottomless lake again (from whence they have comen), to the comfort of his people. The grace and peace directed from God the Father and his son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost, in the beginning of this revelation be unto all them which unfeignedly love his verity. Amen.