PROPOSIT. II.

The Keyes of the Kingdome by way of Metaphor signify all that Min•steriall power by Christ dispensed, and from Christ received, whereby all the affaires of his house may be acted, and ordered, according to his mind, for the attaining of his ends purposed and appointed by himselfe. All that power; and therefore all such meanes as are sufficient to open the Kingdome of Heaven to such as stoop thereunto, or to shut the Kingdome of Heaven against such, who will not come under the authority thereof, is called Keyes.

The Key of Royalty is in the hand of Christ, who is the head and King of his Church. The Key of Charity, as it is sometime called (but very improperly) is in the hand of all beleevers, when out of Christian love they lend some help unto such, with whom they meet, to further them in the wayes of life, but have no power in a Judiciall way to proceed against them in case they refuse, because they are not in a visible Church. The Key of subordinate power which onely such, and all such have, who are combined in a speciall Corporation, and come under the exter∣nall government of the Scepter of Christ in the Gospell: such have good law, (as we use to speak) to proceed against any, that will not stoop to the rules, and be ordered by the lawes of that Kingdome of his.