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1. British Protestant Christians who worship outside the Church of England (Anglican Communion) have been designated at different times as Anabaptists, Brownists, Separatists, Dissenters, Nonconformists, and Free Churchmen. Those in the 16th century who inherited Lollard attitudes and heterodox opinions from the Netherlands were called Anabaptists. The Brownists and Separatists, losing hope of Puritan reform in the church, met in secret conventicles in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. ¶ Dissenters were those who would not accept the Act of Uniformity of 1662…

1. Term The terms “Puritan” and “Puritanism” were originally terms of abuse but were defined in 1646 by the Presbyterian John Geree (1601–49) as a moderate and middle way in religion: “The Old English Puritan was such an one that honoured God above all, and under God gave everyone his due. His first care was to serve God … making the word of God his rule in worship. He highly esteemed order in the house of God: but would not under colour of that submit to superstitious rites.… He reverenced author…