the raagistrates any power at all relative to the church; for although the magistrates have no power in the church, they have nevertheless a power relative to the church. Ecclesiastical persons are subject, as citizens, to the magistrates: the magistrates may punish ecclesiastical persons on account of any civil misdemeanour, as Solomon expelled Abiathar on account of his conspiracy with Adonijah, l Kings ii 35. Magistrates may also manage the temporal possessions of the church, inquire whether the true doctrine be preached, root out errours, enact the rules of the church into laws, and they are bound to cherish the church. according to Isaiah xlix. 23.

Neither doth this ecclesiastical power reside with the pope of Bome, as the head of the church; for he is not the head, as we have proved from the word of God, on the twenty-first Lord's day. When Christ saith in the text to Peter, "I will give thee the keys," &c. this surely doth not relate to the pope; for since he doth neither profess the doctrine, nor live the life of Peter, he cannot be the suc→ cessor of Peter. What Christ saith here to Peter, he saith likewise to all the apostles. See John xx. 21, 22, 23. When Christ asked all his apostles whom they said that he was, Peter answered in the name of them all, and so Christ also speaks these words to Peter, as representing them all. See vrs. 13—15.

Moreover, this ecclesiastical power doth not reside with every member of the church, as the Brownists imagine; for when all the people govern, there will arise confusion: but the Lord requireth, that "all things should be done," in his church, "decently and in order," 1 Cor. xiv. 40. "Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers?" may we ask here with Paul, 1 Cor. xii. 29. Much less doth this power reside with the women, as certain enthusiasts and Antinomians fancy; for women are forbidden to speak in the church, 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35. 1 Tim. ii. 12, but the ecclesiastical power resides with the rulers of the church; these are not bishops, on whom the other rulers and ministers of the church depend; for the name bishop, in Greek episcopos, doth not intimate any sovereignty, but signifies only an overseer, and is given to all the ministers without distinction, and even to the elders, as we may see, Acts xx. 17, 28. Phil. i. 1. Titus i. 5-7, and besides this, all manner of sovereignty is forbidden in the church. See Mat. xx. 20-27. 1 Peter v. 1-4. But the rulers of the church are either extraordinary, as the apostles and evangelists, who were called and qualified in an extraordinary manner by the Lord Jesus himself, to preach the gospel in all languages to every nation, and to confirm it by miracles, Mat. x. 14. The evangelists were teachers sent into different parts by the apos

tles to preach the gospel, and to confirm the churches, which the apostles had gathered. We read of them, Eph. iv. 11. Such an one was Philip, Acts xxi. 8. Timothy, 2 Tim. iv. 5, and Titus, ch. ì. 5. Or the rulers of the church are ordinary, who are called elders: these are distinguished into elders, who teach and rule, and elders who do not teach, but rule: "Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine," saith Paul, 1 Tim. v. 17. The elders who teach are called also "teachers," and those who only rule, are called "governments," 1 Cor. xii. 28, and considered collectively, they are called "the presbytery," or eldership, 1 Tim. iv. 14. To these rulers, the Lord Jesus, as the great prophet and King of his church, hath committed the power of the keys, as appears not only from the beforementioned offices, see 1 Cor. iv. 1, Eph. iv. 11, 12, but also from Mat. xviii. 17, where the rulers, as representing the whole church, are called the church, and receive the power to cast an incorrigible sinner out of the church; and the rulers, when assembled for this purpose, are either consistories, classes, or synods. Synods are gathered from the churches of a province, or of a whole country, or from all the known churches in the world; and are therefore called provincial, national, and universal synods. Although all lordship is forbidden in the church, nevertheless, that all things may be done decently and in order, consistories must be subordinate and subject to classes, classes to synods, provincial synods to national, and national to universal. This is gainsaid by the Independents, who will have that each church should be governed according to its own particular laws, and be independent on other churches, because otherwise lording will be introduced into the church. On the contrary the apostle saith, that "the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets: for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." See 1 Cor. xiv. 29-33. For what purpose was the synod of Jerusalem assembled? was it not in order to decide the great controversy, that had arisen in the churches, whether the Gentiles ought to be circumcised, in order to their salvation? and when it was decreed, that it was not necessary to circumcise them, was not that decree sent to all the churches? and did they not submit to it? would such a submission introduce lording into the church? Nothing is better calculated to prevent it, and to preserve soundness of doctrine.

II. The rulers of the church make use of these keys with respect to all that belongs to the church, as the ecclesiastical assemblies, the rules of the church, according to which the outward order of the church must be regulated, the constituting of forms of union, the

decision of controversies; but all things must be done according to the word of God, and nothing contrary to it: but, that we may abide by the instructor, this ecclesiastical power must be exercised especially in the preaching of the holy gospel, and in Christian discipline, as two keys by which the kingdom of heaven is opened to be-lievers, and shut against unbelievers."

The first key, to wit, the power to preach the gospel, is not given to all, who possess an excellent knowledge of the doctrine of truth, which is according to godliness; but only to those, who are lawfully called thereto, and sent. "How shall they preach, except they be sent? saith Paul, Rom. x. 15. See also Jer. xiv. 14, 15. xxiii. 21, 32. 2 Cor. v. 19, 20. Heb. v. 4, 5, 6. And although no man is sent now in such an extraordinary manner, as the apostles and evangelists were, nevertheless we must look upon a person as sent by God, when he is chosen to such an office by the church, either unanimously, or by a plurality of votes, or by lot; for this was usual even in the days of the apostles, and deemed proper and divine. See Acts i, 21–26. xiv. 23. xx. 28. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Moreover, it belongs not to all the elders to preach the gospel, but only to those who labour in the word and doctrine," 1 Tim. v. 17. The ruling elders have only a right to take care that the preachers make use of this key rightly, and according to the word of God. See Acts xx. 28, 29, 30. The sinner is debarred by sin from access to the kingdom of heaven, and from all the great privileges of it: yea, his own ini. quities take the sinner himself, and he is holden with the cords of his sins." according to Prov. v. 22. "He is taken captive in the snare of the devil at his will," 2 Tim. ii. 26. He is "kept under the law, and shut up under it," Gal. iii. 23. Even believers find their access barred up through the strength of their corruption, the weakness of their faith, and the hiding of the Lord's countenance; their doubts concerning their right to the benefits of the kingdom bind them fast time after time, See Job xiv. 23-28. xix. 6, 8. Psalm xxxi. 22. Lam. iii. 7, 8, 17, 18, 44. But the kingdom of heaven is opened to the sinner, and he is thus loosed, not by granting him the pardon of his sins, after he hath confessed them to a priest; for this doth not belong to men, but to God only, as we have shown largely enough on the twenty third Lord's day; but by the preaching of the gospel, by which he is not informed, that the gate of the kingdom is opened by the blood of Jesus Christ to every sinner, as the Remonstrants speak in their cavilling censures of this Lord's day; for this is contrary to the word of God, as we have shown on the seventh Lord's day; but the sinner is taught, that God hath set his Son forth

to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to which he is invited and called, that he may be excited and allured to embrace this Mediator, to go through him to the Father, and to be admitted into his kingdom. In this manner did Paul open the kingdom of heaven, when he said, 2 Cor. v. 19, 20. "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." But the kingdom of heaven is opened to believers, and they are loosed by this key particularly, "by declaring and testifying to them that all their sins are really forgiven them of God for the sake of Christ's merits." To this end the God of his people saith to the ministers of the holy gospel, Isaiah xl. 1, 2. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned." This is remitting sins," John xx. 23, and "preaching the forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ," Luke xxiv. 47. See Acts x. 43. To do this properly it is not enough merely to declare these promises in general, but we must apply them to believers in particular, and for this purpose point out to them marks of grace, that they may have a clear view of the truth of their faith, as the apostles often acted. See Rom. viii. 1, 9, 13. James ii. 14-26. 1 John iii. 14, iv. 13. This is done either " publicly" in the assembly of God's people, where the gospel is preached, as Paul did, Acts xiii. 38, 39, or privately, when we speak to a distressed believer in particular, or when he speaks to us, and we then apply these promises to him, speak comfortably to him, and remove his difficulties and scruples; thus Paul also acted, Acts xx. 20. But inasmuch as believers dare not always assure themselves by the word of reconciliation, and since they offend often, they must likewise often "lay hold on the promises of the gospel by a true faith," and the messengers of good tidings, must publish the message of reconciliation to them, by which their wavering souls will be brought to a steadfast assurance and they will thus obtain "boldness to enter with a true heart, in a full assurance of faith into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh," Heb. x. 19, 20, 22. It is true, every one who is capable can inform believers of this from the word of God but not as an ambassadour in the name of Jesus, as the preachers of the gospel must do, 2 Cor. v. 19, 20. There is a great dif

ference whether a common person announce to a capital offender, that he is pardoned, or whether his lord's messenger do it.

But the preachers are not only commanded" to say to the righteous, that it shall be well with him," but also to denounce a wo against the wicked," and say "that it shall be ill with him," Isaiah iii. 10, 11. Therefore the instructor saith, that by the key of the preaching of the holy gospel "it is declared and testified to all unbelievers, and such as do not sincerely repent, that they stand exposed to the wrath of God, and eternal condemnation, so long as they are unconverted." This is also according to the word of God, which saith, "He who believeth not shall be damned," Mark xvi. 16, and he who believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him," John iii. 36. In this manner did Peter use this key against Simon the sorcerer, when he said to him, Acts vii. 21, 23, "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter; for thy heart is not right in the sight of God; for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity" Which, that it may have the greater effect, is proclaimed to sinners with an "anathema," See 1 Cor. xvi. 22. By which those unbelievers and impenitent persons are shut out of the kingdom of God, are bound under their sins and the wrath of God, and their " sins thus retained," according to the text, and John xx. 23, which is done by the preaching of the holy gospel; not that the gospel doth this by itself, for the gospel contains no threatenings nor curses; it is "the law" only "that worketh wrath," as Paul speaks, Rom iv. 15. But as the law ministereth to the gospel, and must be preached with the gospel, therefore this outshutting is said to be performed by the preaching of the gospel.

Let no man think that this opening and shutting by the preaching of the gospel is a vain thing, and of no consequence, for we must receive this as the voice of God, and not simply as the voice of man; for God will judge by this testimony both in this life; "He confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messenger," as he saith himself, Isaiah xliv. 26. "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven," saith the Saviour in the text. "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained unto them," saith he, John xx. 23, and also in the life to come; therefore the apostle saith, Rom. ii. 16. "God will judge the secrets of men" in the day of judgment " by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel."