Church History Episode 13:
Puritans
BY ALLAN HUANG
Introduction
 Have you ever felt out of place in this world?
 We talk a lot about revival…
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Reflection: How would you describe how revival occurs?
 Puritan Influence
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How do we understand the Scripture?
How does Scripture impact my entire life?
Who are the Puritans?
 Why are they called Puritans – Meeting with King James I
 What were they like?
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Worshiped in dull-coloured clothing
Enjoyers of good beer
Big on Marital relations
Swam, skated, hunted, and bowled
Expressed their faith through lively relationships with one
another and with God
Puritan Example
 Integration of the Scripture into their daily life
 Quality of their spiritual experience
 Effective and constructive Christian action
 Family stability
 Ideal of church renewal
Puritans and Life
 Daily Life
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Holistic
Set their priorities straight
Hard work ethic
High value on Education
Sometimes harsh (at least by our standards) on punishment
 Spiritual Experience
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Creatures of thought, affection, and will
God conveys His will and heart to the head
Introspection
Action
Joy
Puritans and Culture
 Family
 House life and marital relations
 Choosing a spouse
 Children
 Culture
 Prayer
 Sought to impact the society around them
 Politics
 Shaped the idea of popular election
 Preached to politicians and served as politicians
Puritans and Church
Reflection: Who should run the church: should a
group of elders make decisions for the whole church,
just the pastor/bishop, or the church’s members?
 Puritans and Church of England
 Puritans: Church and State had both been created by
God to enforce his will on Earth
 Diversity among Puritans on church polity
Baptist Puritans
 Some of those who separated from the Church of
England became Baptists
 Two kinds of Baptists:
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General Baptists
Particular Baptists
 Baptism by immersion
 The 1644 Baptist Confession of Faith (First London Baptist
Confession)
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Revisions and editions
Puritan Portrait: John Owen
 Attended Queen’s College at age of 12
 Embraced Puritan convictions from youth, personal
assurance didn’t occur till 1642
 Preached before parliament, official preacher of the State,
prolific writer, Military Chaplain, Dean of Christ’s Church
College, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University
 Writings:
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Mortification of Sin
Communion with God
Doctrine of the Saint’s Perseverance
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ and Divine Justice
Puritan Portrait: Anne Bradstreet
 Born 1612 in Northampton, England
 Moved to New World with her Husband, wrote
poetry
 Wrote hundreds of poems, “ my children
“ I have not studied in this that you read to show my
skill, but to declare the truth, not to set forth myself,
but the glory of God”
 Earned a place among America’s more famous poets
Puritan Portrait: Benjamin Keach
 Born 1640, studied the Bible and educated himself
 Age 18 became non-ordained preacher
 Started a church on Goat Street, Horselydown
 Staunch defender of gospel truth
 Preacher, various disputations, leadership among
particular Baptist churches, Keach’s catechism
Reflection
What keeps Christians from having a holistic,
passionate, Christ-centered life?
Conclusion
 Revival starts with an insatiable desire to know the
Scriptures
 When God brings revival he sends people who are
willing to work tirelessly for His cause
 More then 400 years later, their words are still
speaking
 If you want to taste real zeal, read the Puritans