The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…

hath written to prove the great sinfulness of such Excommunicating. Bishop Jer. Taylor writing against it, yet feigneth this excuse, that it must be understood but of the Minor Excommunication. But Excommunication it is; and I do not think that they can make any good sense of their distinction of Major & Minor Excommunication; unless it be that the Major declareth men to be no Christians, and the Minor only to be scandalous Christians, not cut off from the Catholic Church, but only for the present suspended from being owned, while they are under patient trial whether they will prove impenitent or not, that shame may drive them to Repentance. But this Suspension is properly called Excommunication. But both of them require a just trial. 4. It is a heinous injury and injustice to Excommunicate and ⟨p. 108⟩Ruin men for Truth and Duty. He that robbeth them by the High-way, doth but take their Money, and doth not also accuse them falsely, and make their duty to be their sin. Doubtless he that will take all that I have because I do my duty to God in Praying or Preaching, doth me more wrong than he that will take all without accusing me. 5. It is a public turning Christs Ordinance against himself, and serving Satan by it, to make faithful Christians odious in the World, as unworthy to live in humane Society, out of Jails, if they do but exhort others to repent. If a man but know and detect the least sin in their Books of Service, he must be condemned of wicked Error, and Drunkards, and Whore-mongers; and Perjured Rogues, do seem to be no worse than he. 6. If it were an Error to say that their Book is not faultless, yet it can never be proved an Error of that magnitude and wickedness as to deserve Excommunication ipso facto: For all men on Earth have Errors worse than that; and so by proportion they virtually or consequentially Excommunicate all men.

hath written to prove the great sinfulness of such Excommunicating. Bishop Ier. Taylor writing against it, yet feigneth this excuse, that it must be understood but of the Minor Excommunication. But Excommunication it is; and I do not think that they can make any good sense of their distinction of Major & Minor Excommunication; unless it be that the Major declareth men to be no Christians, and the Minor only to be scandalous Christians, not cut off from the Catholick Church, but only for the present suspended from being owned, while they are under patient tryal whether they will prove impenitent or not, that shame may drive them to Repentance. But this Suspension is properly called Excommunication. But both of them require a just tryal. 4. It is a heinous injury and injustice to Excommunicate and