The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

WITH this interest or concernment, there must be a concurrence of natural, moral and political Conveniences. Some Churches are planted at such distances from others, that it is naturally impossible that they should ever meet together to advise by their Messengers, and some at such as that they cannot assemble but with such difficulties and hazards as exempt them from the Duty of it. And whereas they are placed under different Civil Governments, and those oft-times engaged in mutual enmities, and always jealous of the actings of their own Subjects in conjunction with them that are not so, they cannot so ⟨p. 257⟩convene and preserve the outward peace of the Churches. Hence the largest of the Councils of old that are called Ecumenical, never pretended farther than the single Roman Empire; when there were innumerable Churches planted under the Civil Jurisdiction of other Sovereigns.

WITH this interest or concernment, there must be a concurrence of natural, moral and political Conveniences. Some Churches are planted at such distances from others, that it is naturally impossible that they should ever meet together to advise by their Messengers, and some at such as that they cannot assemble but with such difficulties and hazzards as exempt them from the Duty of it. And whereas they are placed under different Civil Governments, and those oft-times engaged in mutual enmities, and always jealous of the actings of their own Subjects in conjunction with them that are not so, they cannot so ⟨p. 257⟩convene and preserve the outward peace of the Churches. Hence the largest of the Councils of old that are called Oecumenical, never pretended farther than the single Roman Empire; when there were innumerable Churches planted under the Civil Jurisdiction of other Sovereigns.

WHEREFORE in the Assembling of Churches in Synods, respect is to be had unto the convenience of their meeting, that it may be so far as is possible without trouble or danger. And this, with respect unto the causes or occasions of them will determine what Churches, which or how many may be necessary on such occasions to constitute a Synod. And it is useful hereunto, that the Churches which are planted within such a circumference as gives facility or convenience for such conventions, should by virtue of their mutual Communion, be in express readiness to convene on all occasions of common concernment.