equal that he should suffer in its stead. Wherefore
the Church is the Effect of the Work of the Redemption, that
wh••ch rose out of it, which was made and constituted by
it; and cannot be so the Object of it, as that which was
to be redeemed by vertue of an antecedent Conjunction
with it. I answer,
1. ALTHOUGH this Mystical Conjunction is not actu∣ally
consummate without an actual Participation of the
Spirit of Christ, yet the Church of the Elect was de∣signed
antecedently unto all his sufferings, to be his Spouse
and Wife, so as that he might love her and suffer for
her; so it is said, Hos. 12. 13. Israel served for a wife, and
for a wife he kept sheep. Howbeit, she was not his married
wife, until after he had served for her, and thereby pur∣chased
her to be his Wife; yet as he served for her, she
is called his Wife, because of his Love unto her, and be∣cause
the was so designed to be upon his Service. So was
the Church designed to be the Spouse of Christ in the
Counsel of God, whereon he loved her, and gave him∣self
for her.
HENCE in the work of Redemption the Church was
the Object of it as designed to be the Spouse of Christ,
and the Effect of it, inasmuch as that thereby it was
made meet for the full consummation of that Alliance;
as the Apostle expresly declares, Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27.
2. ANTECEDENTLY unto all that the Lord Christ
did and suffered for the Church, there was a supreme
act of the Will of God the Father, giving all the Elect
unto him, entrusting them with him, to be redeemed,
sanctified and saved; as himself declares, Joh. 17. 6, 9.
Chap. 10. 14, 15, 16. And on these Grounds this My∣stical
Conjunction between Christ and the Church hath
its vertue and efficacy before it be actually consummate.
3. THERE is a foederal Conjunction between distinct
Persons: And as this is various according unto the varie∣ty