The harmony of the Gospels in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings…

Instance 3. It is a great part of the punishment of sin, inflicted on man, that he is dead in sin, Eph. 2.1, 5. and Gen. 2.17. one part of this dying, is to be dead in sin. But this death Jesus Christ suffered not, how then did he suffer all the punishment of sin?

Answ. 1. To be dead in sin is personal defilement, by the loss of Gods image, this could not befall Jesus Christ, God hath excepted sin, Heb. 4.15. Jesus Christ his humane nature was like unto us in all things, except sin, he could not sin, therefore he could not be dead in sin, he was every way fitted to be a sacrifice for sin, and he did dye for sin without any defilement by it. He dyed for s•n to satisfy justice, if he had dyed in sin, he should have offended Justice thereby, and then how should he have satisfied Justice. The Lamb of God, that was to be a sacrifice for sin, was to be spotless and without blemish, had he dyed in sin, he should have been a spotted sacrifice, and unaccepted.

Answ. 1. To be dead in sin is personal defilement, by the loss of Gods image, this could not befal Jesus Christ, God hath excepted sin, Heb. 4.15. Jesus Christ his humane nature was like unto us in all things, except sin, he could not sin, therefore he could not be dead in sin, he was every way fitted to be a sacrifice for sin, and he did dye for sin without any defilement by it. He dyed for s•n to satisfie justice, if he had dyed in sin, he should have offended Justice thereby, and then how should he have satisfied Justice. The Lamb of God, that was to be a sacrifice for sin, was to be spotless and without blemish, had he dyed in sin, he should have been a spotted sacrifice, and unaccepted.