separation, he heard that some far advanced in religious reformation were in Norfolk, and planned to join them;1 and he worked out his system in conversation with a friend, Robert Harrison, who had been sometime a resident of Norwich, and put it into practice at Norwich and probably at Bury Saint Edmunds also. These were places filled with Dutch refugees, and in both he found a considerable following among the lower classes. There Anabaptist ideas must have been considerably disseminated. These considerations lend weight to the views of Mr. Campbell.

But, on the other hand, Browne utterly rejected the great Anabaptist tenet of believers' baptism. Furthermore, unlike the Anabaptists, he held that oaths were sometimes not only lawful but a "speciall furtheraunce of the kingdome of God." He evidently saw nothing unbecoming to a Christian in the tenure of civil office; and, moreover, he would not have hesitated to bear arms. He expressly repudiated the charge that his doctrine regarding the power of magistrates deserved the name of Anabaptist. And though a strong geographical argument may be drawn in support of probable contact with these Christians of the Dutch dispersion, Browne's candid spiritual autobiography gives no hint of any such indebtedness, and he mentions no Dutch names among his supporters. It is safe to affirm that he had no conscious indebtedness to the Anabaptists.

Yet if a balance is to be struck between the views of Dr. Dexter and Mr. Campbell, I venture with some diffidence to hold that the truth lies between. It is clear that Browne belonged in large measure to that great radical party which felt that the early reformers of prominence had not carried their principles to their logical or Scriptural result. Of this party the chief representatives were the Anabaptists; and however Browne may have reached his theories, it is with the radical reformers that he must be classed. It

3 See the selections from the Booke which Sheweth, on later page, Ans. 40.

4 Ibid., 110.

5 Ibid., 112-118.

• Booke which Sheweth, p. 100.

7" They charge vs as Anabaptistes & denying Magistrates, because we set not vp them, nor the Magistrates, aboue Christ Iesus and his glorious kingdome."-Treatise of Reformation, p. 13. See Dexter, p. 103.

8 The Trve and Short Declaration.

Compare Dexter, p. 73.

is plain also that many of Browne's most characteristic views had been already advanced by the Anabaptists. But it is no less evident that Browne differed from the Anabaptists on points of great importance, and had no conscious connection with them. Yet certain of their views may have circulated much more widely in the manufacturing cities of eastern England than their acknowledged disciples penetrated; and Browne may have unconsciously absorbed much from this atmosphere, taking into his own thinking such truths as were acceptable to his own study and speculation. It may well be thus that Browne was really indebted to the Anabaptists for some features of his system, though honestly believing it to be the product of his own study of the Word of God.

But while we may admit thus much regarding the possible indebtedness of Browne to older thinkers of the radical school, we must recognize that he made the polity which he elaborated wholly his own. Its details were not yet fully developed, but its great outlines were there, and the system of Browne can be mistaken for no other of the polities of the Christian church. It had a definiteness and a logical consistency which the Anabaptists had not attained. It based the local church on a definite covenant, entered into by the believers with God and with one another, more clearly than they, thus affording a logical and Scriptural foundation for the existence and obligations of the local fellowship. It showed, at least in principle, that the local independence of the individual congregation is consistent with a real and efficient unity with other churches. It steered a safe course between the sacrifice of the self-government of the local church for the sake of a strong central authority which is the evil feature of all systems from Romanism to Presbyterianism, and the abandonment of real mutual accountability between churches which had been the vulnerable point of the polity of the Anabaptists. Though he proved unfaithful himself to the beliefs which he preached and for which he suffered, Robert Browne must be accounted the father of modern Congregationalism.

EXTRACTS FROM BROWNE'S "BOOKE WHICH SHEWETH THE LIFE AND MANNERS OF ALL TRUE CHRISTIANS," Etc.,1

1 Browne's Booke embraces 185 Questions, each with answer, counter-question, definition, and division as above given. Each series extends over parts of two opposite pages. This first question, with its train of subdivisions, may serve as an example of the whole book, but so little additional is contained in the repetitious matter that from this point onward I give only the questions and answers, omitting counter-questions, definitions, and divisions. I have also changed the type from here onward from Old English to Roman.

[Questions 2 to 34 relate to the knowledge of God by men. His nature, attributes, providence, the fall of man and salvation by Christ. These doctrines are treated in the usual Calvinistic sense, and present nothing peculiar to Browne.]

[20] 35 What is our calling and leading vnto this happines? * In the new Testament our calling is in plainer maner: as by the first planting and gathering of the church vnder one kinde of gouernement.

Also by a further plating of the church according to that gouernement.

But in the olde Testament, our calling was by shadowes and ceremonies, as among the Iewes.

36 Howe must the churche be first planted and gathered imder one kinde of gouernement?

1 The bracketed numbeis indicate the pa^es of Browne's work.

3 I. e., the happiness purchased by Christ

First by a couenant and condicion, made on Gods behalfe. Secondlie by a couenant and condicion made on our behalfe. Thirdlie by vsing the sacrament of Baptisme to seale those condicions, and couenantes.

37 What is the couenant, or condicion on Gods behalfe?

His promise to be our God and sauiour, if we forsake not his gouernement by disobedience.

Also his promise to be the God of our seede, while we are his people.

Also the gifte of his spirit to his children as an inwarde calling and furtheraunce of godlines.

[22] 38 What is the couenant or condicion on our behalfe?

We must offer and geue vp our selues to be of the church and people of God.

We must likewise offer and geue vp our children and others,

being vndcr age, if they be of our householde and we haue full power ouer them.

We must make profession, that we are his people, by submitting our selues to his lawes and gouernement.

3p How must Baptisme be vsed, as a scale of this couenaunt? They must be duelie presented, and offered to God and the church, which are to be Baptised.

They must be duelie receiued vnto grace and fellowship.
40 How must they be presented and offered?

The children of the faithfull, though they be infantes are to be offered to God and the church, that they may be Baptised.

Also those infantes or children which are of the householde of the faithfull, and vnder their full power.

Also all of discretion which are not baptised, if they holde the Christian profession, and shewe forth the same.

[24] 41 How must they be reecaued vnto grace and fclloshippc? The worde must be duely preached in an holie assemblie. The signe or Sacrament must be applied thereto.

42 How must the word be preached7

The preacher being called and meete thereto, must shewe the redemption of christians by Christ, and the promises receaued by faith as before.

Also they must shewe the right vse of that redemption, in suffering with Christ to dye vnto sinne by repetance.

Also the raising and quickning again vpon repentance.

4J Howe must the signe be applied thereto?

The bodies of the parties baptised, must be washed wl water, or sprinckled or dipped, in the name of the Father, and of y* Sonne, and of the holy Ghost, vnto the forgeuenes of sinnes, and dying thereto in one death and burial with Christ.

The preacher must pronounce the to be baptised into y* bodie and gouernement of Christ, to be taught & to professe his lawes, that by his mediatid & victorie, they might rise againe with him vnto holines & happines for euer. The church must geue thankes for the partie baptised, and praye for his further instruction, and traininge vnto saluation.

[26] 44 How must it [the church] be further builded, accordinge vnto churche gouernement?

First by communion of the graces & offices in the head of y* church, which is Christ.

Secondly, by communion of the graces and offices in the bodie, which is the church of Christ.