2. THE Union of all Churches, before described in one Head, by one Spirit, through one Faith and Worship, unto the same ends, doth so compact them into one Body mystical, as that none of them is or can be complete absolutely without a joint acting with other Members of the same Body unto the common good of the whole, as occasion doth require. And this joint acting with others in any Church, can be no otherwise, but by common Advice and Counsel, which natural Circumstances render impossible by any means but their convention in Synods, by their Messengers and Delegates. For although there may be some use of Letters missive, and was so eminently in the Primitive Churches, to ask the Advice of one another in difficult Cases, (as the first instance we have of the Communion of Churches after the days of the Apostles, is in the Letter of the Church of Corinth unto that of Rome, desiring their Advice about the composing of a difference among them, and the Answer of the Church of Rome thereunto;) yet many Cases may fall out among them, which cannot be Reconciled or Determined but by present Conference, such as that was Recorded, Act. 15. No Church therefore is so Independent, as that it can ⟨p. 251⟩always, and in all Cases, observe the Duties it owes unto the Lord Christ and the Church Catholic, by all those Powers which it is able to act in it self distinctly, without conjunction with others. And the Church that confines its Duty unto the Acts of its own Assemblies, cuts it self off from the external Communion of the Church Catholic; nor will it be safe for any Man to commit the Conduct of his Soul to such a Church. Wherefore,
2. THE Vnion of all Churches, before described in one Head, by one Spirit, through one Faith and Worship, unto the same ends, doth so compact them into one Body mystical, as that none of them is or can be compleat absolutely without a joint acting with other Members of the same Body unto the common good of the whole, as occasion doth require. And this joint acting with others in any Church, can be no otherwise, but by common Advice and Counsel, which natural Circumstances render impossible by any means but their convention in Synods, by their Messengers and Delegates. For although there may be some use of Letters missive, and was so eminently in the Primitive Churches, to ask the Advice of one another in difficult Cases, (as the first instance we have of the Communion of Churches after the days of the Apostles, is in the Letter of the Church of Corinth unto that of Rome, desiring their Advice about the composing of a difference among them, and the Answer of the Church of Rome thereunto;) yet many Cases may fall out among them, which cannot be Reconciled or Determined but by present Conference, such as that was Recorded, Act. 15. No Church therefore is so Independent, as that it can ⟨p. 251⟩always, and in all Cases, observe the Duties it owes unto the Lord Christ and the Church Catholick, by all those Powers which it is able to act in it self distinctly, without conjunction with others. And the Church that confines its Duty unto the Acts of its own Assemblies, cuts it self off from the external Communion of the Church Catholick; nor will it be safe for any Man to commit the Conduct of his Soul to such a Church. Wherefore,
