INDEPENDENTS, a sect of Protestants in Britain and Holland, so called from their independency on other churches, and their maintaining, that each church or congregation has sufficient power to act and perform every thing relating to religious government within itself, and is no way subject or accountable to other churches or their deputies.
They therefore disallow parochial and provincial subordination, and form all their congregations upon a scheme of co-ordinancy. But though they do not think it necessary to assemble synods, yet if any be held, they look upon their resolutions as prudential counsels, but not as decisions to which they are obliged to conform.
The present Independents differ from the Presbyterians only in their church-government; in being generally more attached to the doctrines distinguished by the term orthodoxy, such as original sin, election, reprobation, &c.; and in administering the Lord's Supper at the close of the afternoon's service. See PRESBYTERIANS.
The several sects of Baptists are all Independents with respect to church-government; and, like them, administer the Lord's Supper in the evening; whereas the Presbyterians administer it after the forenoon's service. See ANABAPTISTS.