Church. The proposed amendments seemed to him to be as dangerous as the present evils. Separation from what was intrinsically wrong became a plain duty. The whole of the past history of the Church was a vast mistake. A new form of the Christian community must be founded on a new basis, and Christian history must start afresh. So much in Browne's opinions was the result of the reaction of a fervent spirit against the actual conditions in which he was placed. His constructive system was influenced, as all systems must be, by practical considerations of what was possible.
It was impossible to appeal to civil authority in aid of a revolt which threatened anarchy. So Browne asserted that the magistrate had no ecclesiastical authority at all, but that it belonged to Christians themselves to consider what is lawful and what is expedient It was impossible to form the new community on any recognised area of parish or congregation. So Browne asserted that "the Church, planted or gathered, is a company of Christians, who by a willing covenant made with their God are under the government of God and Christ and keep His laws in one holy communion". His conception of church government was the absolute monarchy of Christ over His Church, imparting His wisdom and entrusting His power to all true believers. It was a theocracy founded on a democracy; the ministers of the Church were to be chosen by the congregation and ordained by them; they were pastors for exhortation, teachers for teaching, elders for oversight and counsel.
This system of Browne contains the great principles
