What was the difference between Puritans and Separatists?

The Puritans and Separatists were two groups that emerged within English Protestantism during the 16th and 17th centuries. Both sought to "purify" the Church of England, but they differed in their beliefs about how to achieve this reform.

Puritans: The Puritans sought to reform the Church of England from within. They wanted to rid the church of any remnants of Roman Catholic practices and to simplify the church's rituals. They believed in the importance of moral conduct and placed a high value on preaching. Puritans did not believe in separating entirely from the Church of England, but rather sought to change it to align more closely with their interpretation of the Bible.

Separatists: On the other hand, the Separatists believed that the Church of England was so corrupt that true Christians should separate from it entirely. They formed their own independent congregations that were separate from the state church. The Separatists felt that the Church of England was beyond reform, and thus the true church had to be a voluntary assembly of believers who had covenanted together under Christ. The most renowned group of Separatists were the Pilgrims, who famously sailed to North America on the Mayflower to settle in what became Plymouth Colony.

In summary, while both Puritans and Separatists were critical of the Church of England and wished to practice a more pure form of Christianity, Puritans wanted to reform the church from within, whereas Separatists believed the only option was to leave the Church of England and form new, independent congregations.