ot to
keep company, nor so much as to eat with him that is Excommunicate, if
a Soveraign Prince, or Assembly bee Excommunicate, the sentence is of no
effect. For all Subjects are bound to be in the company and presence of
their own Soveraign (when he requireth it) by the law of Nature; nor
can they lawfully either expell him from any place of his own Dominion,
whether profane or holy; nor go out of his Dominion, without his leave;
much lesse (if he call them to that honour,) refuse to eat with him. And
as to other Princes and States, because they are not parts of one and
the same congregation, they need not any other sentence to keep
them from keeping company with the State Excommunicate: for the
very Institution, as it uniteth many men into one Community; so it
dissociateth one Community from another: so that Excommunication is
not needfull for keeping Kings and States asunder; nor has any further
effect then is in the nature of Policy it selfe; unlesse it be to
instigate Princes to warre upon one another.

Nor is the Excommunication of a Christian Subject, that obeyeth the laws
of his own Soveraign, whether Christian, or Heathen, of any effect. For
if he beleeve that "Jesus is the Christ, he hath the Spirit of God" (1
Joh. 4.1.) "and God dwelleth in him, and he in God," (1 Joh. 4.15.) But
hee that hath the Spirit of God; hee that dwelleth in God; hee in
whom God dwelleth, can receive no harm by the Excommunication of men.
Therefore, he that beleeveth Jesus to be the Christ, is free from all
the dangers threatned to persons Excommunicate. He that beleeveth it
not, is no Christian. Therefore a true and unfeigned Christian is not
liable to Excommunication; Nor he also that is a professed Christian,
till his Hypocrisy appear in his Manners, that is, till his behaviour
bee contrary to the law of his Soveraign, which is the rule of Manners,
and which Christ and his Apostles have commanded us to be subject to.
For the Church cannot judge of Manners but by externall Actions, which
Actions can never bee unlawfull, but when they are against the Law of
the Common-wealth.

If a mans Father, or Mother, or Master bee Excommunicate, yet are not
the Children forbidden to keep them Company, nor to Eat with them; for
that were (for the most part) to oblige them not to eat at all, for want
of means to get food; and to authorise them to disobey their Parents,
and Masters, contrary to the Precept of the Apostles.

In summe, the Power o