at were.
It was not enough to repute them as Heathen, that never had been
Christians; for with such they might eate, and drink; which with
Excommunicate persons they might not do; as appeareth by the words of
St. Paul, (1 Cor. 5. ver. 9, 10, &c.) where he telleth them, he had
formerly forbidden them to "company with Fornicators;" but (because that
could not bee without going out of the world,) he restraineth it to such
Fornicators, and otherwise vicious persons, as were of the brethren;
"with such a one" (he saith) they ought not to keep company, "no, not to
eat." And this is no more than our Saviour saith (Mat. 18.17.) "Let
him be to thee as a Heathen, and as a Publican." For Publicans (which
signifieth Farmers, and Receivers of the revenue of the Common-wealth)
were so hated, and detested by the Jews that were to pay for it, as
that Publican and Sinner were taken amongst them for the same thing:
Insomuch, as when our Saviour accepted the invitation of Zacchaeus a
Publican; though it were to Convert him, yet it was objected to him as
a Crime. And therefore, when our Saviour, to Heathen, added Publican, he
did forbid them to eat with a man Excommunicate.

As for keeping them out of their Synagogues, or places of Assembly, they
had no Power to do it, but that of the owner of the place, whether he
were Christian, or Heathen. And because all places are by right, in the
Dominion of the Common-wealth; as well hee that was Excommunicated, as
hee that never was Baptized, might enter into them by Commission from
the Civill Magistrate; as Paul before his conversion entred into their
Synagogues at Damascus, (Acts 9.2.) to apprehend Christians, men and
women, and to carry them bound to Jerusalem, by Commission from the High
Priest.

Of No Effect Upon An Apostate

By which it appears, that upon a Christian, that should become an
Apostate, in a place where the Civill Power did persecute, or not assist
the Church, the effect of Excommunication had nothing in it, neither of
dammage in this world, nor of terrour: Not of terrour, because of their
unbeleef; nor of dammage, because they returned thereby into the favour
of the world; and in the world to come, were to be in no worse estate,
then they which never had beleeved. The dammage redounded rather to the
Church, by provocation of them they cast out, to a freer execution of
their malice.

But Upon The Faithfull Only

Excommunication therefore had its effect onely upo