Congregationalists of various theological hues affirm the autonomy of the church, yet it is strangely absent from the New Testament Church and from early Congregationalism. This paper looks at autonomy, its origin, meanings, usage, and the development of polity in historical Congregationalism. It then subjects autonomy to the judgement of P.T. Forsyth and draws out, from his works, a more robust basis for polity today.