lared by Mr. Bain,[41] and after him by Mr.
Ball.[42]

Whence we may justly conclude,

Therefore this doctrine or opinion, that makes the whole community or
body of the church to be the first subject and immediate receptacle of
the keys, is an unsound and unwarrantable opinion.

The middle-way men, (that profess to go between the authoritative
presbyterial, and the rigid Brownistical way,) seeing these and such
like absurdities, upon which the Brownists inevitably dash themselves,
think to salve all by their new-coined distinction of the keys; viz. 1.
There is a key of faith or knowledge, Luke xi. 52. The first subject of
this key is every believer, whether joined to any particular church or
not. 2. There is a key of order, Col. ii. 5, which is either, 1. A key
of interest, power, or liberty, Gal. v. 13, which key is of a more large
nature; 2. A key of rule and authority, which is of more strict nature,
Matt. xvi. 19, John xx. 23. Hence, upon this distinction premised, they
thus infer, 1. A particular congregation of saints is the first subject
of all the church offices with all their spiritual gifts and power, 1
Cor. iii. 22. 2. The apostles of Christ were the first subject of
apostolical power. 3. The brethren of a particular congregation are the
first subjects of church liberty. 4. The elders of a particular church
are the first subjects of church authority. 5. Both the elders and
brethren, walking and joining together in truth and peace, are the first
subjects of all church power needful to be exercised in their own body.

_Answer_. A rotten foundation, and a tottering superstruction, which
tumbles down upon the builders' own heads: for,

1. This distribution of the keys is infirm in divers respects: e.g. 1.
In that the key of knowledge (as it stands here distinguished from the
key of order, comprehending the key of power and authority) is left
utterly devoid of all power. Now no key of the kingdom of heaven is to
be left without all power, Independents themselves being judges. 2. In
that the key of power is left as utterly void of all authority, (being
contradistinguished from the key of authority,) as the key of knowledge
is left void of power. Now, power and authority, in matters of
government, seem to be both one; and the word in the original signifies
the one as well as the other. 3. The key of liberty or interest is a new
key, lately forged by some new locksmiths in Separation-shop, to be a
pick-lock of t