QUESTION Í. 403 that a belief et his sonship in one of those senses, but especially the latter, in that day might be a sufficient ground for the faith and hope of sinners. 1. It may seem to have some special regard to the excellency Of his person, where it is joined by the way of exposition to the word Messiah or Christ, as a further description of the person who sustained that Office ; as in these scriptures, viz. Mat. xxvi. 63: the high-priest adjured Jesus to a confession, and said, " Tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God ?" Mat. tvi. 16. " Peter answered and said Thou art Christ, or Mes- siah, theSon of the livingGod." John xi. 27. " Martha con- fessed, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God." Which expressions mean thus much, thou art the Christ or Mes- sial,, that glorious person of peculiar relation to God who was ordained to this office. It seems also to signify more especially the excellency of his person in those scriptures where he is called God's own Son, God's only Son, God's only- begotten Son, his beloved Son, his first-born, &c. because these are words of and peculiar endearment, and we cannot well say the only begotten Messiah, the first-born Messiah. 2. Yet there are many other places wherein the name Son of God seems to have a more special regard to his office as the appointed Saviour, though it is inclusive also of the peculiar ex- cellency of his person, which makes : him fit for his office ; John X.37. " Do you say of him whom the Father hath sanctified . and sent, thou blasphemest, becauseI said I am the Son of God ?" His being thus sanctified and sent by the Father is sufficient to give this name. This is evident also where the word Christ or Messiah is not joined with it, and yet the design of, the expression seems to be entirely the same as if the word Christ or Messiah hadbeen used . there as John i. 34. " John the baptist. saw and bare witness that this is the Son of God," that is, this is the great promised Saviour. So verse 49. "Nathaniel said, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the king of Israel,".ithat is, thou art the Messiah, the king. So John ix. 35. Jesus asked the blind man. who was healed, " Dust thou believe on the Son of God ?" that is, dost thou believe on the Messiah, the appointed Saviour ? For as such he was the proper object of belief. So .1 John. iv. 15. " Whoso shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God; God dwell - eth in him, and he in God," that is, he that confesses him to be the glorious appointed Messiah, and receives him as such, he dweller' in or with God. The same is the sense of that word ; 1 John v. 5. " Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God," that is, the Mes- siab. And verse 20. " We know the Son of God is come ;" cc2
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