The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 1 · Verse 18
Verſ. 18. I am the firſt and the laſt; and I am alive, but I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore.
That this perſon that is here ſpoken of, was Chriſt, is clear; to avoid repetitions, peruſe the precedent 8 and 13 verſes: but here lies the difficulty.
Object. It was formerly aſſerted on verſ. 13. that this was the divine perſon of Chriſt that appeared unto Iohn in the form of a man; now according to his divine nature, he is impaſſible, he did not ſuffer death, nor was again made alive, for he is life it ſelf; therefore this is only proper to his humanity, and that was it, to wit, his humane nature, that appeared unto Iohn; that which was now alive, and was dead.
To clear this, I anſwer, you muſt underſtand that is frequent in Scripture, to attribute that unto one nature, which is the proper attribute of the other; and ſo as the Learned calls it, communicatione Idiomatum, by the communication of properties, what is due unto the divine nature, is communicated, or attributed unto the humane, and ſo on the contrary: as to inſtance, When we are ſaid to be bought, juſtified, or ſaved by the blood of God; wherein we muſt not be ſo groſs, to conceive that God hath blood, but it is meant of that perſon who cleanſed us by his blood, was both Man and God in one perſon; and that which is proper to the humane nature, is here attributed unto the divine: And ſo when it is ſaid that God ſuffered, and the Son of man created all things, and 'twas he that was with the Father from everlaſting: This is predicated of one nature, which is proper to the other. Conſult Acts 20.28.
And ſo in this verſe, though it is ſaid, that Chriſt in his divine perſon appeared unto John, under the ſimilitude of the Son of man, who is alive, but was dead, imports only thus much; That that ſimilitude or form that appeared unto John, was the very ſame Chriſt, and Divine Perſon, that was conjunct with his humanity in heaven, and by a mutual and interchangeable communication, and attribution of properties, this divine Idea, or Repreſentation, that John ſaw, is called by the proper attribution of Chriſt's humanity, which was pierced, dead, and lived again; though indeed it was only the diuine perſon of Chriſt, clothed with the figure and likeneſs of the Son of man, which was dead, but was now alive. This is very uſual in Scripture, and amongſt Divines, wherein the properties of one nature are really attributed to the perſon denominated of the other nature interchangeably, by reaſon of the unity of perſon conſiſting in both natures.
Secondly I anſwer, That oft in Scripture that hath the real denomination of a thing, which is only ſo in appearance and reſemblance. That apparition, or counterfeit of Samuel that appeared unto Saul at the Witch of Endors, is called Samuel ſeveral times in 1 Sam. 28. without any note of diſtinction from the true and real Prophet Samuel, further then is collected from ſcriptural reaſon and the coherence of the diſcourſe in that place: Angels that appeared in the form and likeneſs of men to Jacob, Lot, &c. are called men, becauſe they appeared in humane form: ſo this divine appearance of Chriſt here, is called the ſame perſon that was dead, but is now alive; becauſe he appeared in that ſhape and figure of the Son of man, which was dead, but is now alive.
And behold I am alive for evermore, Amen. As he is the firſt and the laſt, the firſt before all beginnings, and the laſt to all eternity, ſo Chriſt aſſures all his in this place, he is the ſame for ever to them, a King to rule and protect them, a Mediator to intercede for them, a Prophet, to teach and direct them unto everlaſting, Amen, ſo be it, ſo it ſhall be, and ſo it muſt be. And he adds,
And I have the Keys of hell and death.] Chriſt to take off all fear from John, and to aſſure John, and all his Saints, that he is moſt powerful, and able to effect and bring to paſs thoſe viſions and ptedictions that he was about to reveal unto John, and by him unto his churches, he now publiſheth unto John, that all power now is put into his hand from the Father, even over hell it ſelf, for he hath deſpoiled it of its power: Here is a tranſporting of the word hell before death: Hell is the ſting of death, and therefore according to order of things, the laſt: Rev. 20.14. ſo death and hell were caſt into the Lake of fire. Take hell here for the grave, or the ſtate of the dead: ſo Chriſt hath the key to open it in the reſurrection; ſo hath power to deliver them from the ſtate of death and hell. Or ſecondly, Take death and hell for the ſtate of the damned, and he hath power over that too; he holds the key of the bottomleſs pit, Rev. 20.1. as he hath obtained power ſince his exaltation, to give Crowns and Thrones to all his faithful ones, that ſhall perſevere and overcome; ſo alſo to chaſtiſe his impenitent and obſtinate adverſaries with hell and death. The Keys in Scripture do ſignifie Power, Dominion, and Rule: He that keeps and commands the keys of a City, hath the Power and Rule over it: The Keys were anciently carried before the chief Magiſtrate, and are in ſome places at this preſent time, as ſymbols and badges of authority. On Peter's honourable confeſſion in Mat. 16.19. the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven is given unto him by Chriſt, which intimates the power of ſhutting and looſing, which was by Chriſt depoſited in the Church. It is ſaid in the third chapter, that Chriſt hath the key of David, that ſhutteth, and no man openeth; and openeth, and no man ſhutteth: and in chap. 20. v. 1. Chriſt is there repreſented by an Angel that had the key of the bottomleſs pit. All this connotes,
Obſerv. That Chriſt hath the full power over all powers, and principalities of darkneſs, over the divel, and death, and hell it ſelf, which before he hath attained and purchaſed by his death, 1 Cor. 15.55, &c. they cannot move nor ſtir to the deſtruction of ſouls, but as he permits them; it is a moſt vain conceit, yea, and ſavours of little faith, in thoſe that think that the godly, or faithful ones of Chriſt, are in the hands of Divels or Witches, to be hurt by them, or tormented at their pleaſures: Chriſt hath the Keys of hell and death, the wicked Angels are ſo ſurely locked in their priſons, and reſerved in chains up by his providence, that they cannot poſſibly touch any one of thoſe that are dear to God, no not to hurt a hair of their head, or the leaſt lamb in their fold, without Chriſt's ſpecial commiſſion for it; and then too, they are like a dog in a chain, under his hand and direction, to go thus far, and no farther: The Divel could not touch Iob, who was hedged about by God, before he bid him go: And therefore, O! How reaſonleſs and weak it is to affirm or hold, that they are in the Divel's power, to touch or hurt at his pleaſure▪ for whom Chriſt hath ſaid down his moſt precious blood, and are as dear unto him, as the apple of his eye; but if at any time God ſhall give any of his into the hand of Satan, to be touched by him, either in perſon or goods, let us conſider, it is either to withdraw and wean us from ſin, and to bring us to repentance for it, or elſe to winnow and try us, whether we will bleſs the name of God or not▪ In ſuch caſes, which ſeldom God exerciſes his children under, for few are able to bear ſuch temptations, and God will lay no more on his, then they are able to bear; the moſt high and eminent in grace, are only fit to meet with ſuch ſtrong tryals, and not ſink under them, as Iob, and Paul, whom Satan buffetted; but if God ſhall uſe the hand of Satan, to ſmite any of his children, let them look upon God as the principal Mover, and Author of it; and though Satan be the Inſtrument, yet to ſay with wiſe and godly Iob, The Lord hath done it; The Lord taketh, and the Lord giveth, Bleſſed be the name of the Lord.
Obſerv. 2. Another obſervation hence is, That Chriſt's obſtinate enemies, according to the Propheſies in this Book, may expect and look for a moſt ſure and certain ruine and deſtruction. For here Chriſt ſays unto Iohn, Fear thou not Iohn, that is, of the truth and execution of thoſe dreadful predictions, and judiciary viſions, which I ſhall now make known unto thee, concerning thoſe high, implacable, and obſtinate enemies of mine; they may think I have not power to execute thoſe judgements upon them, but they ſhall know, that I have the keys of hell and death, that Satan is at my command and beck, to be the executioner of my wrath upon them, and that I have power to open the door of hell, death, and deſtruction, and to ſhut them up, together with Satan, in that Lake of fire, that burneth with fire and brimſtone for evermore, Rev. 19.20. and 20.10.
Hence two Uſes ariſe very naturally. Firſt, That the godly need not fear hell nor death, either that of the grave, or that of the ſecond death; for Chriſt their head is the Key-keeper of both, and hath power thereof.
Next, Let the impenitent, wicked, and ſuch as will not have Chriſt to reigne over them, fear and tremble; for he has the keys of hell and death: Therefore repent in time, and kiſs the Son, leſt he be angry, before the day come, wherein he ſhall ſhut, and no man openeth.