Puritans Assignment 4: Plain style

"May 12 was the first marriage in this place which, according to the laudable custom of the Low Countries, in which they had lived, was thought most requisite to be performed by the magistrate, as being a civil thing, upon which many questions about inheritances do depend, with other things most proper to their cognizance and most consonant to the Scriptures (Ruth iv) and nowhere found in the Gospel to be laid on the ministers as a part of their office."

I find this passage particularly plain, as it says mentions nothing of the ceremony or celebration of the first wedding, or even who was married; focusing instead on the legal technicalities of the marriage. This puritans particularly plain style of writing probably stems from similar sources as their general plainness in other areas of life. Being a very religious centered society, the Puritans believed that everything was to be done to the glory of God. Anything thing which was done to glorify earthly things was thought to be to the glory of man, and thus considered blasphemous. This is evident even from their style of clothing, which is almost always depicted as faded and dull. Under this theology writing were to be used only when immediately necessary as a way of recording or transferring information; anything beyond this was to the esteem of its creator and thus detracted from the God's glory.

This view fails to take into account that since according to their own theology the earth and all things in it are God's creation. Therefore anything that is inspired by that creation is ultimately an extension of God's creation, and to his glory. The Christian Bible itself is at times quite descriptive. The Puritans may have reconciled this saying that the this was God's book, however theoretically it was actually written by men through God's inspiration. As trees grow, flower, and produce fruit, it would only make sense that humanity should do the same.