traces on the order and discipline of the churches of Christ are visible. These were the stepping-stones on which the "Man of Sin," after a fierce contest with his ambitious rivals, mounted to the throne of universal empire. And, supported by the despotic civil power-the "beast of seven heads and ten horns"*-consummated the work of corruption in the general order of Christ's house.t

From the establishment of the temporal power of the Roman Pontiff- about A. D. 755-to the period of the Luthern Reformation in the sixteenth century, the Romish hierarchy grew more and more corrupt in its discipline and general character, until the world could no longer bear the grossness of its immoralities and the corruptions of its government. The eyes of men were at length opened;

* See Revelation xvii, and 2 Thess. ii.

+ The bishop of Rome, favored by his situation in the ancient capital of the empire, and the friendship of Pepin, the powerful French monarch, who made him exarch of Ravenna—a possession which was afterwards confirmed and enlarged by Charlemagne, in consideration of the bishop's services in procuring Charles the title of emperor of the West,-outwent all his competitors, "remained master of the field, and became SOVEREIGN PONTIFF; "thereby obtaining," as Dr. Owen says, "a second conquest of the world." Owen's "Inquiry into the Original, etc. of Evangelical Churches," Preface, presents a learned and condensed view of the declension of the churches from the apostolic order. The entire work is one of great value to the student of this subject.

The exarchate of Ravenna, included the territories of Ravenna, Bologna and Ferrara, and embraced very nearly the same extent of country as is now called "The Roman States," or "The States of the Church." It covered something less than one third part of Italy.

It is worthy of remark, that the temporal power conferred on the Roman pontiff by Pepin and confirmed by Charlemagne, "has never since been either greatly increased or greatly diminished." -See Waddington's Hist. of the Church. Harper's Ed. p. 149.

and they beheld a woman sitting upon "a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornications. And upon her forehead a name was written Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth."-Rev. xvii..

Nations, which had been made drunk with "the wine of the wrath of her fornication," awoke from the effects of her enchantments; and they wondered while they beheld the exact resemblance which the woman upon the scarlet colored beast bore to their own mother church; and their hearts were turned to hate her.

The translation of the Bible into the languages of Europe, and the circulation of it among the common people, were important means in promoting the Reformation. The Scriptures, while they exposed the doctrinal errors, and the gross immoralities of popery, revealed also the primitive model of a Christian church. The full discovery of this by the English Puritans was the result of their strict adherence to the grand principle of the Reformation: That the Scriptures are a sufficient, and the only infallible guide to religious faith and practice. A rejection of this principle, in its application to church order, has entailed national ecclesiastical establishments upon many Protestant countries; and has marred the beauty and excellence of various systems of church government, the framers of which have adopted the principle-that " Jesus Christ has not himself left any directions for governing the church."*

*I quote the language of Dr. Burton, Prof. of Divinity in Oxford, Eng. as given in the Oct. No. of Am. Bib, Rep. This senti

Though the principle, that the Scriptures are a sufficient guide to the order, as well as the faith of the church, was early lost by the Christian world at large, and has not yet become generally recognized—still, there have never been `wanting, even in the darkest ages, some witnesses to this truth. From very early antiquity we are able to trace the footsteps of sects or denominations of professed Christians who, by the adoption of this principle or for some other reason, have been led to embrace and maintain some of the distinctive principles or distinguishing doctrines of Congregationalism.

In the following pages I propose to enumerate these different sects, and to present a summary of their history. And it may be well at the outset, to apprize the reader, that he must be prepared to find these dissenters from "The Church" classed among heretics and schismatics; and often loaded with reproaches. He need not be surprised if he sometimes finds them really defective in some important particulars, and not even deserving so good a name as could be wished. But, when it is remembered that, for most that we know of the dissenters of early ages, we are indebted to the writings of their enemies, we shall be prepared to receive ill reports with caution, while we estimate more highly the good that may be said of them.

But whether those of whom I shall write deserve an evil or good report, it is manifestly the duty of one who attempts to give the history of Congregationalism, to mention all those sects, who, previous to the full development of the Congregational system, embraced any of its distinguishing features; however unlike, in other respects, they may have been to modern Congregationalists.

ment is adopted and commended by the editors, who are Presbyterians.

I have surveyed the field of my labors sufficiently to be aware of the difficulties of my undertaking. I have not the vanity to expect to write a history which will be altogether acceptable to the friends of this denomination, or satisfactory to myself. But, in the absence of any history of Congregationalism, I hope that my humble labors may serve, at least, as " stepping stones" to a more competent historian.

HISTORY OF

CONGREGATIONALISM..

CHAPTER I.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE NOVATIANS, A. d. 251.

THE NOVATIANS were probably the first organized body of dissenters from the Catholic church. Certainly the first that attracted much attention. There may have been individuals who dissented from the impurities of the church at an earlier period; and isolated churches, which stood aloof from the Catholic* party: but, no very general protest was entered against the growing impurities in church order, until the Novatians appeared about the middle of the third century.

And even these church reformers seem not to have protested against all the incipient corruptions which began to show themselves in their day. Their attention was directed, at first, at least, chiefly to a great principle relating to church order—the character of those who should be members of the churches of Christ.

The cursory view which has been given of the progress of church corruption will show, that the positive encroachments of the bishops upon the rights of the presbyters and

* I use the term Catholic, in its original sense, as synonymous with general, to designate the dominant party.