II. To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven

tre committed, bv virtue whereof they have power re- spectively to retain and remit sins, to shut that kingilom against the impenitent, both by the Trord and censures : and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministiy of th gospel, and by absolution from censures, as occasion sliau
require
1 *Isa. Ix. 6. For vrtto t8 a •hfld is born, onto us a son is given, axul the fOTenanent shaJl be «pon liis shooldere simI his came shall be called Woc The mlgrhty God, The everlasting Father,The Pricce of Peace. Ver. 7. Of the iccrease of his govern- KKQt and peace there shall be no tnd, opoD the throne of David, and ^pOD Im kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with jndgment and with JQStice, from henceforth, even for ever: the zeal of the Lord of liosts will perfonn this. 1 Tim. ▼. 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted wordij of double honour, •speciallj ^ey wiko labour in the word and doctrine. 1 Thess. v. 12. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among joQ, and are over job in the Lord, «nd adznoctisfa jou. Acts xx. 17. And from Miktw he sect to Ephe. •us, and called die elders of the church. Ver. 18. And when tl»y were come to kim, he said unt» them, Te know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner 1 have been with you %t all seasons. Heb. xiii. 7. Remem- 1>er them which have the rule over jmt who bxn sptkeo uto yom