ently, the very fountain of all power and authority to his
Church, Matt. xxviii. 18-20, with John xx. 21, 23; Matt. xvi. 19, and
xviii. 18-20; 2 Cor. x. 8. See this formerly cleared, chap. III. and V.

3. Spiritual in the matter of it, and the several parts of this power:
therefore called the _keys of the kingdom of heaven_, not the keys of
the kingdoms of earth, Matt. xvi. 19, (as Christ professed his _kingdom
was not of this world_, John xviii. 36; and when one requested of
Christ, that by his authority he would speak to his brother to divide
the inheritance with him, Christ disclaimed utterly all such worldly,
earthly power, saying, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?"
Luke xii. 13, 14.) Consider these heavenly spiritual keys in the kinds
of them, whether of doctrine or discipline; or in the acts of them,
whether of binding or loosing, in all which they are spiritual: e.g. the
doctrine which is preached is not human but divine, revealed in the
Scriptures by the Spirit of God, and handling most sublime spiritual
mysteries of religion, 2 Pet. i.; 2 Tim. iii. 16,17. The seals
administered are not worldly seals, confirming and ratifying any carnal
privileges, liberties, interests, authority, &c., but spiritual,
_sealing the righteousness of faith_, Rom. iv. 11; the death and blood
of Jesus Christ, with all the spiritual virtue and efficacy thereof unto
his members, Rom. v. 6; Gal. iii.; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17, and xi. 23, 24, &c.
The censures dispensed are not pecuniary, corporal, or capital, by
fines, confiscations, imprisonments, whippings, stocking, stigmatizing,
or taking away of limb or life, (all such things this government meddles
not withal, but leaves them to such as bear the civil sword,) but
spiritual, that only concern the soul and conscience; as _admonishing_
of the unruly and disorderly, Matt, xviii. 18, 19; _casting out the
incorrigible_ and obstinate from the spiritual fellowship of the saints,
Matt. xviii. 18, 19; 2 Cor. v. ult.: _receiving again into spiritual
communion_ of the faithful, such as are penitent, 2 Cor. ii. 6. Thus the
binding and loosing, which are counted the chief acts of the keys, are
spiritually by our Saviour interpreted to be the _remitting and
retaining of sins_; compare Matt, xviii. 18, 19, with John xx. 21, 23.

4. Spiritual in the form and manner, as well as in the matter. For this
power is to be exercised, not in a natural manner, or in any carnal
name, of earthly magistr