Liberty and reformation in the Puritan Revolution

"Treating revolutionary Puritanism as a great dynamic force, this book picks up where the author's famous The Rise of Puritanism left off, and tells the story of the Puritan argument for freedom and reform from the convening of parliament in 1640 to the fall of the monarchy and the disruption of the church in 1649. When Puritan preachers called upon parliament to cast off the authority of bishops and erect a godly preaching ministry throughout the realm, parliament asked the preachers to draft a scheme of reformation by free discussion. Free discussion, however, led to disagreement about the nature and extent of reform intended. Soon both the press and public became involved in the argument. Men of varying interests, such as William Walwyn and John Milton, began raising questions as to the scope and function of liberty within society—of liberty of conscience, of thought and expression, of preaching and the press, of religious and political association, of legal status, of economic enterprise and social opportunity. The effect was to set Puritans at odds among themselves. The discussion was taken up by unorthodox preachers like John Goodwin, by popular agitators and party organizers like Lilburne, and by the Army. The question became one of how, with the church disrupted, to establish and maintain spiritual unity and constitutional order in the community."—Back book cover.