WHO WERE THE PURITANS?
Where did this group come from? Who were they? What did they believe?
These are some of the impressions one might get:
Funny clothing!
Rigid – extreme legalists!
Sexually repressed!
Long sermons!
Once we get past the caricatures, who were the Puritans?
Basics:
Protestants
Primarily an English movement (which drastically affected the USA, and to some degree Wales
and Scotland)
1517 / 1520s / 1560s – 1662 / 1689
All dissatisfied with the reformation in England
I. A movement / struggle for a purified Church of England
The name was not found till Elizabeth’s reign (1567?) but events happened that started an incipient Puritan
movement.
1. The Reformation began in 1517 and following.
2. Henry’s “Great Matter” and the break with Rome
This took what seemed like forever but certainly opened the door to and for reform in England.
Remember: Henry himself never got there!
3. Many pastors coming to the gospel / an evangelical faith and then wanting that for England.
4. The work and influence of Thomas Cromwell for an English Bible and a gospel foundation.
He worked constantly behind the scenes while always being loyal to Henry and working with Parliament.
5. The heroic work of William Tyndale
95% of the KJV NT is the Tyndale NT.
He gave his life to and for the Bible in English in the hands of every Englishmen!
6. The evangelical, reformed Lords and Ladies among the nobility / peerage.
This is a rather mixed bag:
They usually had multiple motives
They rarely lived like an evangelical
They always took advantage of things fundamentally
They inevitably helped the Reformation - in spite of themselves!
2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God,
and not of us.
This was the initial, proto-Puritan movement in the 1520s-1560s.
Things would go much farther and much faster in Edward’s reign.
This movement stayed around a long time. In some ways it has stayed into the present, long after (1662/1689)
any real hope of further reform was gone.
Non-separatist Anglican.
II. A movement / struggle for a proper church
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about
three thousand souls. Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of
bread, and in prayers.
Acts 14:20 …and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
Acts 14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and
to Iconium, and Antioch,
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through
much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders (πρεσβυτέρους) in every church, and had prayed with fasting,
they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders (τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους) of the church.
Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock (τῷ ποιµνίῳ), over the which the Holy Ghost hath
made you overseers (ἐπισκόπους), to feed (ποιµαίνειν) the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints (τοῖς ἁγίοις) in Christ Jesus which are
at Philippi, with the bishops (ἐπισκόποις) and deacons (διακόνοις):
1 Peter 5:1-4 The elders (Πρεσβυτέρους) which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder (συµπρεσβύτερος), and
a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed (ποιµάνατε) the flock
(τὸ…ποίµνιον) of God which is among you, taking the oversight (ἐπισκοποῦντες) thereof, not by constraint, but
willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the
flock. And when the chief Shepherd (ἀρχιποίµενος) shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders
(πρεσβυτέρους) in every city, as I had appointed thee:
Titus 1:7 For a bishop (ἐπίσκοπον) must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to
wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Under Edward reformation took off. The 42 articles were much more Biblical and Evangelical.
People (lay, gentry, and clergy) began to examine much more than just trying to get a Bible in English and the
gospel.
When Edward died so young and Roman Catholic Mary replaced him, many pastors fled to Europe – especially
to Geneva under John Calvin.
There they experienced a much more Biblical environment:
No images, candles or Roman Catholic dress
No bishops
Less ritual
More (not total) Biblical view of the Sacrament (ordinance)
Roman
Catholicsm
Consubstantiation
Real Physical Presence
Of Christ
Transsubstantiation
Calvin
Reformed
Spiritual Presence of
Christ in the elements
Luther’s view
Zwingli
No presence
of Christ
In His people in a
special, unique way
When Edward died so young and Roman Catholic Mary replaced him, many pastors fled to Europe – especially
to Geneva under Calvin.
There they experienced a much more Biblical environment:
No images, candles or Roman Catholic dress
No bishops
Less ritual
More (not total) Biblical view of the Sacrament (ordinance)
Henry VIII
1500
Edward VI
1547
1553
Mary
Elizabeth
1558
James I
1603
Charles I
1625
Church government &/ structure was then questioned
This gradually grew in importance.
King James I said: No bishops, no king!
These men had lived in a church environment that was Presbyterianish – no bishops
They now wanted that for England.
1558 and Elizabeth
Puritans came to Elizabeth hoping for a Presbyterian English Church – otherwise, simply replacing the English
Episcopal Church.
Elizabeth was not interested! She wanted a via media (middle way) and she got it.
She really didn’t like preaching.
The Puritans grew frustrated, no longer content with merely opposing the Pope / Roman Catholicism.
The struggle:
Lasted until 1662
Caused irreparable damage later on (during the 1650s)
Didn’t get all the way back to the New Testament curch
Never broke with the Constantine Settlement union of church and state
Never broke with an Erastian view that the state governs and enforces church uniformity.
Non-separating Presbyterians
III. A movement / struggle for a pastoral church
Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd (ὁ ποιµὴν ὁ καλός): the good shepherd (ὁ ποιµὴν ὁ καλὸς) giveth his life for the
sheep.
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles (ἀποστόλους); and some, prophets (προφήτας); and some, evangelists
(εὐαγγελιστάς); and some, pastors (ποιµένας) and teachers (διδασκάλους); Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd (ποιµένα) and Bishop
(ἐπίσκοπον) of your souls.
Thoughts:
This was present very early on in the English Reformation
This will be what most Christians know about and interact with the most
Pilgrim’s Progress: John Bunyan
The Bruised Reed: Richard Sibbes
Heaven on Earth: Thomas Brooks
Body of Divinity, 10 Commandments, Lord’s Prayer: Thomas Watson
Reformed Pastor: Richard Baxter
And many others…John Flavel, Thomas Manton, John Owen
During the times of oppression, exclusion, and marginalization, this is what the Puritans excelled
at
This was especially true in the 1590s under Elizabeth, in the 1620s – 1640s under Charles I, and
after
This allowed some Puritans to conform, as long as they could pastor
After 1662
Also in Elizabeth’s time
This was in stark contrast to the Anglican priests and bishops
The Puritans’ strength was their ability to pursue questions few today think to ask and then
pursue them to the end
They did this in many areas such as doubt, suffering, providence, prayer….
This could also be their weakness 512 causes of depression aren’t very helpful.
Helps for reading the Puritans:
Start with the easier writers first – such as John Bunyan
Read with discipline and determination
Do not attempt to follow their outlines - just read for the blessing
Understand mostly they are just pastoral
C. S. Lewis on “Chronological Snobbery.”
“It’s a good rule after reading a new book never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one
in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to three new ones.... Every age has
its own outlook. It is especially good at seeing certain truths and especially liable to make certain mistakes. We
all therefore need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period.... None of us can
fully escape this blindness, but we shall certainly increase it, and weaken our guard against it, if we read only
modern books....The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds
and this can only be done by reading old books. Not, of course, that there is any magic about the past. People
were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes. They
will not flatter us in the errors we are already committing; and their own errors, being now open and palpable,
will not endanger us. Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are
unlikely to go wrong in the same direction. To be sure, the books of the future would be just as good a
corrective as the books of the past, but unfortunately we cannot get at them.”
IV. A movement / struggle for a pure church
1 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 1
Corinthians 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be
saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 1 Corinthians 1:3
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God
which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: 2 Corinthians 1:2 Grace be to you and peace from God
our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Ephesians
5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Ephesians 5:27 That he might present
it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without
blemish.
This is an important aspect to understand religious freedom and the USA.
Puritans started questioning the very nature of the Church
In the 1590s this would be considered sedition
They started questioning the Erastian view of church
The monarch as head of the church?
Eventually some started questioning local church government
Independency had some initial gasps of air but with much opposition and fear. Obviously the bishops opposed
this conception as did the Kings (Stuarts).
Because of the next question, this entire idea of independents / independency frightened many people.
There was a real fear of anarchy, chaos, breakdown &/ the breakup of society.
In 2013, looking back, this entire question seems strange and maybe even a little silly.
Yet it seems to be somewhat like our modern question / problem in the USA!
1662 – Puritans ejected
1689 – Act of Toleration
--America is not going to freedom of religion – we are going to freedom of worship
--We had a country with a Judeo-Christian backdrop – we now have:
Church
State
Church
State
Finally some started questioning the Constantine Settlement – the union of church and state.
Who were some that did this?
Independents
Baptists
Separatists
Quakers
Sadly, the Presbyterian Puritans joined with the Roman Catholics and Anglicans to fight Cromwell and also to
help in the restoration.
They developed Biblical answers to the question of worship.
Leviticus 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put
incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
Leviticus 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
Leviticus 10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that
come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
1 Chronicles 15:13 For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought
him not after the due order.
Things indifferent
Commanded |
Puritans
Adiaphora
|
Elements of Worship
--singing
--prayer
--reading scripture
--etc.
What
is not commanded,
Accidents of Worship
--length
--time
--seating
--etc.
What is forbidden, is not
Is forbidden.
allowed.
(otherwise, it is OK)
Forbidden
Anglicans
They developed the 3 marks of a true church:
1. The gospel is preached
2. The ordinances (sacraments) are administered
3. Discipline is exercised
So, what happened to the Puritans? Why did they fail?
1. An unholy alliance
They mixed politic and politicians with religion or, at least, they couldn’t disentangle the two.
Power, position, possessions rarely lead to pure anything! Motives become helplessly mixed.
2. Endless divisions
The Puritans began to divide and divide almost without end.
And each difference was considered life and death.
Independents, separatists, Baptists, 5th monarchy men, Quakers, levelers, diggers, ranters….
The Presbyterians joined with Prince Charles in 1650 (Charles II in 1660s) and fought with the Roman
Catholics and Anglicans against Cromwell.
Of course, the Anglican Bishops and Lords played the Puritans like a fiddle – divide and conquer – and they
did!
3. The Constantine Settlement and the Erastian view of church government
Cromwell started to get religious freedom but few others did.
John Owen and Thomas Goodwin got it – all that was needed was religious toleration in general rather than one
system – but it was too late!
4. What they called an Old Testament church and not a New Testament church.
They tended to look at Israel and her king.
So the king enforced the one, true, in every detail religion.
Act of Uniformity of 1662
This was horrible! But everyone had passed one from Henry, to Edward, Mary, Elizabeth…and everyone
wanted their group in charge and their own Act of Uniformity.