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N.E Caldwell!

556

On the whole there is a refreshing fairness in the statements herein made in regard to the Puritans and Puritanism, although Canon Barry is evidently unaware of the real motive which lay at the basis, and became the mainspring, of Brownism, and Barrowism, and Independency. He is quite right in declaring that the Puritan movement was, "before all, and after all else, Calvinistic," but he is wrong in fancying that it was the 'iberty of self-government that those men were in search of. It has always been represented that Robert Browne went out of all existing organisms into separatism, that he might realize some dream of denocracy in church. There was never a reater mistake. What he went out into he wilderness to see was not a free church, but à pure church. He had vainly tried, til he was in utter despair of success, secure purity in the church, on the Church of England system. Nor could he discern the slightest hope of relief from Curtwright, with his Presbyterian plan,

ght all the way from Geneva, but GL retaining the old fatal State church eat.re. Browne felt that a State church, into which all the people should be born, w.uld offer just as real impediment to the pure gospel, if it were Presbyterian in form, as if it were Episcopalian in form; and so he saw no way or hope of proggress by waiting for others, and therefore cut the knot by declaring that any Little company of regenerate people anywhere can make themselves a church by covenanting together (in accordance with God's laws) to be one-whether others will hear or forbear. He never dreamed of democracy as being involved in his system. In his conception each local church is under the absolute monarchy of its great Head, Jesus Christ; and if the fact that that monarchy brings itself into contact with church affairs through each believer's being the channel for the r of God. in point!

of fact renders the system indistinguish able in its practical workings from a pure democracy, it never seems to have so sug gested itself to its founder, nor did he ever advocate or teach it on that basis. What he was seeking for, first of all, las of all, in all, through all, and over all, was a thorough reformation of church life in the interests of vital godliness. And he and his system are entitled in fairness to claim that this be remembered by all who undertaking to instruct their fellow-men do not wish to bear false witness agains their neighbors. [E. P. Dutton & Co. $2.00.] 1878.

Gift of

Bw. Wm. E. Caldwel

THE

APOSTOLICAL

AND

PRIMITIVE CHURCH,

POPULAR IN ITS GOVERNMENT, AND SIMPLE
IN ITS WORSHIP.

BY

LYMAN COLEMAN, 1796

AUTHOR OF "ANTIQUITIES OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH."

1882

WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY,

BY

DR. AUGUSTUS NEANDER,

PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BERLIN.

Second Edition.

BOSTON:

GOULD, KENDALL AND LINCOLN,

59 WASHINGTON STREET.

A 411722

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, by

GOULD, KENDALL & LINCOLN,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

ANDOVER:

ALLEN, MORRILL AND WARDWELL,

PRINTERS.

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