The _Plymouthians_ held, that the Bible was the sole religious code of protestants; and that every man had a right to judge for himself, and to try all doctrines by it, and to worship according to what he apprehended that directed. In doctrinal tenets they agreed with the articles of the church of England. The main difference between them and other reformed churches was about hierarchy. They maintained, that no particular church ought to consist of more persons than could worship in one congregation; that every man ought, in appearance, to be a true believer in Christ, and subject to his authority; that when there was a suitable number of such believers, who thought themselves bound in conscience to do it, they had a right to embody into a church, by some certain contract or covenant, expressed or implied; and that, being embodied, they were to choose all their officers, who were pastors or teaching elders, mere ruling elders, meant to assist the former, and qualified to teach occasionally, and deacons who were to manage the temporalities of the church, to take care of the poor, and to officiate at the Lord’s table, by providing the bread and wine, laying the cloth, carrying the elements, &c. [The custom of having ruling elders has now ceased.] The elders of both kinds were to form the presbytery of overseers and rulers. They also held, that no churches or church officers, had any power over other churches or officers, to control or impose upon them, all having equal rights and privileges. Their own officers were removable by them upon justifiable reasons; in case of capital errors, gross misconduct, and the like. When they baptised, they rejected the sign of the cross, and other ceremonies not enjoined by scripture. They received the elements of the Lord’s supper, in the table-posture of the day and place in which they lived. Excommunication they deemed to be wholly spiritual; and denied that the church or its officers had any authority to inflict temporal pains and penalties. They considered no days as holy, but the Lord’s day, which they observed with great strictness. Solemn fastings and thanksgivings, as the aspects of providence required, they had a pious regard to, as agreeable to both natural and revealed religion.