By: Jake Farris

The Puritans were a group of English Protestants during the 16 th and 17 th century. It was founded founded by Marian exiles from the clergy after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1559, as an activist movement within the Church of England. They believed that the English Reformation had not gone far enough, and that the Church of England was tolerant of practices which they associated with the Catholic Church. Their ideas were not able to spread within England; the views were taken by emigration of congregations to the Netherlands, New England, Ireland, and Wales.

In the relation between the church and government Puritans believed that governors were accountable to God to protect and reward virtue, including "true religion" to the majority of the public, while punishing the wrongdoers. They were here for God by God, and they lived in a God fearing way. The idea of personal Biblical interpretation was shared with Protestants in general. Puritans sought both individual and corporate conformity to the teaching of the Bible, with moral purity sought to the smallest detail as well as ecclesiastical purity to the highest degree. They believed that man existed for the glory of God; that his first concern in life was to do God's will and it would bring a happy life. They did not celebrate traditional holidays which they believed to be in violation of the regulative principle. They had a distinctive emphases on four convictions: (1) that personal salvation was entirely from God, (2) that the Bible provided the indispensable guide to life, (3) that the church should reflect the express teaching of Scripture, and (4) that society was one unified whole.

The church was usually a small plain wooden building. When people entered they would take their places. The men sat on one side, the women sat on the other, and the boys did not sit with their parents, but sat together in a designated pew where they were expected to sit in complete silence. The deacons sat in the front row just below the pulpit because everyone agreed the first pew was the one of highest honor and dignity. The servants and slaves crowded near the door and or in a loft or balcony. The service began with a prayer given by the minister that usually lasted around an hour. They also felt that music and celebrating were not appropriate during church. After the prayer, the minister would continue with an emotional sermon. The minister's sermon would last for hours without pause.

In the Puritan discipline, dancing was acceptable, but sexual dancing was not. Drinking alcohol was also acceptable but becoming a drunk was not. The Puritans believed very strongly in marriage and were opposed to illicit sexual activities. Adultery was punishable by death, and fornication was to be punished be whipping. They wanted to "purify" the Church of England and put an end to the hierarchy that led to corruption. They believed that the church should follow the scriptures exactly. Also anything that they thought was related to the devil was illegal, that included not reading the Bible.