35.  Christ as the Living and the Dead.

In what has been said about the first and the last, and about the beginning and the end, we have referred these words at one point to the different forms of reasonable beings, at another to the different conceptions of the Son of God.  Thus we have gained a distinction between the first and the beginning, and between the last and the end, and also the distinctive meaning of Α and Ω.  It is not hard to see why he is called^46194619    Apoc. i. 17, 18. “the Living and the Dead,” and after being dead He that is alive for evermore.  For since we were not helped by His original life, sunk as we were in sin, He came down into our deadness in order that, He having died to sin, we,^46204620    2 Cor. iv. 10. bearing about in our body the dying of Jesus. might then receive that life of His which is for evermore.  For those who always carry about in their body the dying of Jesus shall obtain the life of Jesus also, manifested in their bodies.