Puritanism has a natural tendency to fragment into ever smaller units. That is what their opponents said about the movement, and, just because Samuel Parker and Roger L'Estrange said so, does not make it wrong. The dissidence of dissent is indeed one of the great historical platitudes. Patrick Collinson has never been one to let sleeping platitudes lie, however, and in a notable recent paper he has pointed to the resilience of a contrary strain within Puritanism; of what we might call a centripetal, rather than a centrifugal, tendency. He argues that the voluminous antiseparatist literature did have its effect, individuals could be pulled back from the brink (like Robert Browne himself, the man who gave a name to a tendency), the seceders were in any case less set apart from the rest of the community than was once supposed, combination lectureships strengthened not weakened the established church, and so on. It adds up to a formidable case for taking seriously the possibility of writing a different script for Puritanism, in which it becomes the ally, not the enemy, of a comprehensive national settlement.

Collinson wants historians to maintain an open-endedness: to recognise that by the end of the early years of the seventeenth century (where his analysis stops), it was by no means a foregone conclusion that the evolution of Puritanism would be synonymous with the triumph of the sects.

Having spoken of the CONSTITUTION of the Kingdom of God, I shall proceed to speak of the ADMINISTRATION thereof.

1. The Law of nature in the primary most proper sence, is to be found in natura rerum, in the whole Creation that is objected to our Knowledg, as it is a Glass in which we may see the Lord, and much of his Will; and as it is a Signifler of that Will of God concerning our duty. 2. The Law of nature is sometime taken for that Disposition or Aptitude that there is in mans nature to the actual knowledg of these naturally revealed things, especially some clear and greatest Principles, which almost all the world discern. 3. And it is sometime taken for the Actual knowledge of those plain and common Principles. 4. And sometime for the Actual knowledge of all that meer Nature doth reveal. When I say God hath given man this law of nature, I mean, both that he hath made an Impress of his minde upon the Creation, and set us this Glass to see himself, and much of our Duty in, & also that he hath given to the very nature of man a Capacity of perceiving what is thus revealed, and a disposition especially to the Reception of the more obvious Principles; so that by ordinary helps, they will be quickly known; and the rest may be known if we be not wanting to our selves.

Because it is a matter of so great moment, that you pass not in impenitency to the Barre of God, (where you must all speedily appear) and that the many Thousands of this Nation, that never were actually guilty, may not make your sinnes (sinnes of such a dreadfull nature) to become their own by approbation; I thought it my duty to manifest the fallacy of all those Arguments, which I judged might most probably deceive you. And therefore supporting that thence you are likely to fetch matter of encouragement, I shall briefly discuss the wounding Answer to the Healing Question, so far as may concern your Consciences.

1. He placeth the Cause in two things; 1. p. 3, 4. ‘To have and enjoy the Freedom (by way of dutifull compliance and condescension from all the parts and members of this society,) to set up meet persons in the place of Supream Judicature, and authority amongst them.’ 2. p. 5, 6. ‘Freedom in matters of Religion, or that concern the service and worship of God.’

The former is thus enlarged, p. 10. ‘That the body of the good people in their military capacity and posture, are most properly Soveraign, and possesse their right of naturall Soveraignty.’ And p. 11. ‘Becoming one Civill or Politick Incorporation with the whole Party of honest Men, they do therein keep the Soveraignty, as Originally seated in themselves, and part with it only as by way of Deputation, and Representation of themselves, &c.’

Having spoken of the Universal Kingdom, and next in general of particular subordinate Common-wealths, that God hath by institution made the parts of it; I must First speak of the CONSTITUTION, and next of the ADMINISTRATION of these. And about the Constitution I shall first speak of the MODES (or SPECIES as commonly called) and then of the Individuation.

There is a twofold diversity of Governments: One is in the Persons Ruling; Another is in the Matter of Government: whether the former do deserve the name of Specification or not, it hath by Custome obtained that name: And so Monarchy; Aristocracie, and Democracie are called the distinct Species of Governments or Common-wealths. In the Matter of Government there is difference, in that some have greater power, and some have less: some Soveraigns are limited to certain things, and degrees of power; and some are unlimited: and some limited more, and some less. And one would think this difference were as great as the former.

I know some pretend to a Divine Institution for Monarchy, but they mean onely that it may from Scripture be proved to be best; but not that no other but it, is Lawfull.

We cannot expect the people to be good, if the Teachers be bad, unable, or negligent. It is Gods Word that's managed by them, that must reform the people, and work out their vice. As mens Laws suppose the Laws of God, and mens Government presupposeth Gods Government; so the true methodical obedience to mens Laws, presupposeth obedience to Gods Laws, and consequently some understanding of them; and a right subjection to man presupposeth subjection to God. The first work therefore being the Ministers, the true reformation of the Ministry, making them indeed Divine, is the first thing to the making a Common wealth Divine.

Much hath been done already to this of late in this Nation, through the blessing of God: (although much is yet to be done, especially for ripening the Ministry in Judgement and Charity, & bringing them to neerest Unity, which time must do.)

Because the right understanding of these commands of God, is of great use for our guidance in these weighty points, I shall stay a while upon the search of that Rom. 13 which saith most; and if we understand that, it will be the easier to understand the rest.

Many occasions concurred to make this document of the Apostle necessary to the Romans. 1. There were Hereticks crept in among them that abused the doctrine of Christian Liberty, and perswaded them that subjection to the Rule of Magistrates was against their Liberty. 2. And the weaker Christians were the easier induced to entertain this doctrine in part, because they were Heathen Magistrates that they were under. And the Christians, being (justly) prohibited by the Apostles to go to Law about personal injuries, before Heathen Judges, but to agree them among themselves, they were the readyer to have low thoughts of such Judges as useless or burdensom, or not fit to be the Governors of Christians. 3. And especially because many of the Christians had been Jews, that were hardly brought to any but a forced submission unto Gentile Rulers; and were ever prone to rebell against them, thinking it an honourable vindication of their holy state and Church, which they thought no Heathen had right to Rule over.

1. I have shewed already that it is a denying God to be God, because to be God, is to be the Governor of the world, at least in Title.

2. If God be not Governour, he is not just: For communicative Justice he cannot exercise on Creatures that are wholly his own. And distributive Justice he can have none, if he have not the Relation which Justice doth belong to. He that is not a Ruler, cannot be a just Ruler.