ho are forbidden to communicate with others. Both motives can be gathered from the Apostle's words ( 1 Cor. 5:6 ). For after he had pronounced sentence of excommunication, he adds as his reason: "Know you not that a little leaven corrupts the whole lump?" and afterwards he adds t…

be killed in order to safeguard the common good, since "a little leaven corrupteth the whole lump" ( 1 Cor. 5:6 ). Reply to Objection 1: Our Lord commanded them to forbear from uprooting the cockle in order to spare the wheat, i.e. the good. This occurs when the wicked cannot be…

f God. This is the leaven of which the Apostle speaks, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” [ 1 Cor 5:6 ] By every means also we should avoid that leaven which Marcion, Valentinus, and all the heretics had. For the nature of leaven is such, that when mixed with flour, that…