He was exposed for example because of His relation to Adam, to that sentence of death that had been pronounced on the whole family of man . . . And if He was exposed to the doom of man, was He not equally exposed to all the sinless penalties that had fallen upon Israel as dwelling under Sinai?
(Observations, p. 9).
All that pertained to man’s nature in Mary pertained to Jesus – its weakness, its dishonor – sin only was excepted. He was in the likeness of sinful flesh penalties therefore of the fall were connected even with the constitution of His human nature.
(Observations, p. 34, note).
My loins thou hast filled with burning heat or dryness would show that in body as well as in soul He felt Himself as the green ear scorched by the fire.
(Remarks, p. 17, note).
He had in His nature not only a possibility and aptitude, but even a necessity of dying.
So that the two main branches of false doctrine are adhered to in the only concession he has ever made; and this latter point has formed the subject of a series of tracts published (A Letter on Subjects adopted from another writer, p. 19).
The characteristics of the humanity of Adam after he had fallen, were, through His mother, transmitted to the Lord Jesus, but without sin, either communicated or imputed.
(Letter, p. 33).
It was determined . . . that He should commence His course of suffering by taking (not in Paradise) a weak humanity, like in everything excepting sin, the humanity of Mary His mother, and exposed to ALL the sinless consequences of Adam’s sin.
(p. 9).
All His sufferings were in consequence of His having assumed a relative position, that is one in which He consented to forego that which was due to His own individual position and to subject Himself to sufferings due to the position of those to whom He stood related by voluntary association.
(Brief Statements by Mr. Newton).
And even as His humanity had all sinless infirmities, so also was it mortal.
(Ancient Truths, by Mr. Newton, p. 10).
We mean by ascribing mortality to Him that His humanity was so constituted, that the vital conjunctions of His soul with His body would, under certain supposed circumstances [which we omit because the supposition is so painfully irreverent], necessarily cease, unless a miracle was wrought to prevent it.
(Ancient Truths, p. 15).
It should be remarked that the expression “sinless penalties” is illusive, for no penalties inflicted by the hand of God could be anything but righteous, whether temporal wrath death, or final damnation; also, that whilst every Christian believes that Christ was mortal, in the sense of being able to die, the idea of inherent mortality is entirely subversive of the glory of His person, opposed to the statements of Scripture, and unfits Him for dying as a sacrifice, for a life already attainted {tainted} could not be offered to the justice of God for others. The word of God tells us expressly that death can only come by sin, either inherited or imputed (Rom. 5:12; 6:23); and the miraculous action of the Holy Ghost in the conception of our Lord, removed not only the sinfulness of nature, but the seed of physical corruption and decay which exists in all others, so that in this sense we can discern the meaning of the words “that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Various old writers, such as Hawker, &c., have regarded our blessed Lord as suffering penally before the cross, but however mistaken in this, they looked upon Him as a substitute throughout, and never as a part, by birth or association, of that which was exposed to the judgments of God.
As space does not admit, and it is not our object to enlarge upon these doctrines, that having been done by others at the time they were first published. we only subjoin a few passages showing the true position of our Lord.
1. In the nation of Israel, as heir of the promises made to Abraham and David, and King of the Jews: Matt. 1:1 Luke 1:32, 68, 69, 72, 73; Matt. 2:2, 6, 9; Isa. 9:7.
2. As bringing relief, light, and salvation, to deliver them out of their wretched condition, instead of being identified with it: Luke 2:77-79; 2:11, 30-32.
3. The relation of His birth to man and to the Gentiles Luke 2:14, 32.
4. His relation as man to God: Luke 2:40-52; John 8:29 1:41, 42; 15:10, 11; Psa. 22:9, 10.
5. His relation to John the Baptist: Luke 1:17; 3:16, 17 John 1:7, 27, 29.
6. His position relative to death: John 10:17, 18; 12:24 6:47-51; 11:25; Heb. 2:9.