The use and effect of excommunication, whilst it was not yet strengthened with the civil power, was no more than that they who were not excommunicate were to avoid the company of them that were. It was not enough to repute them as heathen, that never had been Christians; for with such they might eat and drink; which with excommunicate persons they might not do; as appeareth by the words of St. Paul (1 Cor. 5:9⁠–⁠10, etc. ), where he telleth them, he had formerly forbidden them to “company with fornicators”; but, because that could not be 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 ( Matt.