16. Why must he be a true and righteous man?

Because the justice of God requires 1) that the same human nature which has sinned should make satisfaction for sin; but one who is himself a sinner cannot satisfy for others. 2)

1) But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Rom. 5:15.

2) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed. Isa. 53:3-5.

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