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 on their resolutions as prudential councils, but not as decisions to which they are obliged to conform.