An answer to Mr. Dodwell and Dr. Sherlock, confuting an universal humane church-supremacy aristocratical…An answer to Mr. Dodwell and Dr. Sherlocke, confuting an universal humane church-supremacy aristocratical…

Nor do they use to do it to all the Parishes in the Diocese, but only to that one where the person liveth. But I doubt not but all that Church should know of it, of which he was a Communicating member, (by the way, why is not all the Diocese told of it, but that men are conscious that he hath not Personal communion with them; and therefore need not be so Excommunicated?) 6. Therefore mens limited capacity allowing them Personal Communion but in a narrow compass, there needs no Confederacy of all the Christian World for the rejecting of those that one of them hath first rejected. 7. But in well-ordered agreeing Churches none should be received presently into the Communion of another Church, without due notice of his aptitude or capacity; which regularly should be by the Certificates of the Church whence he came, called Communicatory Letters; or if he was never before admitted to the Sacrament because not at age, his own Personal profession giveth him right; and so it doth in the Countries where through neglect such Certificates or Testimonies are not in use, sobeit there come in no proof against him, that he stands Excommunicate, or deserveth it. A professing Christian hath right to Communion if he travel through all the Churches in the World, till his profession be disproved, or his claim disabled by just testimony. If a man be Excommunicate in, e. g. Lincoln-Diocese in one Parish-Church, above a thousand Parishes more of the same Church Diocesan, may receive him for want of notice, unless they are bound to receive no stranger of another Parish; and that is a kind of Excommunicating of all Christians from the Communion of all the Christian World, except one Parish. ⟨p. 103⟩8. The Legal Excommunication, which is only a general pronunciation that such or such sinners in specie shall be actually excommunicate, is done already by God himself in his Universal Laws. And no man ought to make Laws to Excommunicate any that Gods Laws do not decree to be Excommunicate, save that when there is a difficulty in discerning whether this or that Doctrine or practice be indeed the sin so condemned in Gods Laws, mens Laws may expound it▪ to remove that difficulty. If all were excommunicate that Gods own Laws do require to be excommunicate, alas! how great would the number be? So little need is there, that Voluminous Councils should excommunicate many more;

Nor do they use to do it to all the Parishes in the Diocess, but only to that one where the person liveth. But I doubt not but all that Church should know of it, of which he was a Communicating member, (by the way, why is not all the Diocess told of it, but that men are conscious that he hath not Personal communion with them; and therefore need not be so Excommunicated?) 6. Therefore mens limited capacity allowing them Personal Communion but in a narrow compass, there needs no Confederacy of all the Christian World for the rejecting of those that one of them hath first rejected. 7. But in well-ordered agreeing Churches none should be received presently into the Communion of another Church, without due notice of his aptitude or capacity; which regularly should be by the Certificates of the Church whence he came, called Communicatory Letters; or if he was never before admitted to the Sacrament because not at age, his own Personal profession giveth him right; and so it doth in the Countries where through neglect such Certificates or Testimonies are not in use, sobeit there come in no proof against him, that he stands Excommunicate, or deserveth it. A professing Christian hath right to Communion if he travel through all the Churches in the World, till his profession be disproved, or his claim disabled by just testimony. If a man be Excommunicate in, e. g. Lincoln-Diocess in one Parish-Church, above a thousand Parishes more of the same Church Diocesan, may receive him for want of notice, unless they are bound to receive no stranger of another Parish; and that is a kind of Excommunicating of all Christians from the Communion of all the Christian World, except one Parish.