Puritanism the wealth, power, and authority of catholicism and the church of england. puritans adopted the basic principles of , including predestination. the puritans believed that god predetermined everyone's fate. nothing—not wealth, achievements, power, or even good deeds—could change a person's destiny. this idea was very different from catholicism and anglicanism—both of which believed in free will. according to the doctrine of free will, a person can earn salvation through good deeds and holy behavior. puritans also believed in the concept of . humans were flawed, sinful beings that could only be saved through the grace of god.