C A P. 3. 4 revelation ofthe Apocalypfe. 95 Church in regard ofoutward matters, was in very great affliction, fo Hipocri -- as it was held for dead almodl ofall men, yet did it in the mean time úcall live the true life, and was moll acceptable unto God himfelf : This, Sarvüs. Without, in the opinion ofmen liveth, andflourifheth ina áoodly man- ner, yet within, death raigneth, true piety being banilhed out of it ; wkence this fecund pair ofcontraries is made, as we obferved in the generali refolvingofthe (even Epidlles into their parts. But where- in lay this counterfaiting ? As touching the city ofSardi.r, wehave lit- tle to fee or flew for it out ofthe Hiltory. There flaurifhed not long after, that famous Melito, greatly praifed by Eufebius, Book. 4. Chap. 26. But hence it apppeareth, that the matter was come to that palie when johnwrote, that though the Angel feemed to himfelf, and others perhaps to be notably furniíhed with all things requi- fire to falvation,yet he wantedmany necef cries, and abounded in the contrary evils. Weknow that thofe that be alive Without, may be deadeither through ignoranse, or corruptneffe ofdoEfrine, or through neeleE1 andcarelefne17e ofgodly duties : as Chrift calleth them dead, wlio were voidofFaith andknowledgeofSalvation, john 5.25. And the Apoflle calleth the lafcivious woman, Live-dead, howfoever fhe hadgiven her name to Chrifl;i Tim.5.6. For which reafon alto Works are Paid to be dead, Hebr. 6. 2. As the which declare them to be truly dead, whogive themfelves to the ftudy of fuch workes. It may be that this Angel ofSardis,partly, by means ofhis neglect ofpietie,part- Iv, through his corrupt teaching, fell into this deadifh life. If theDo- ctrine had been quite extinLt, which is the very life and foul of a Church,it could nothave had fomuch as the name ofany lífe.Wehave faid that the Countcrpain, by reafonof the order and confequence of ofmatters, is thefirft reformedChurch fpringingup in Saxony, when Luther began to teach. For the ChurchofThyatira bare theblame offuffering the Romiß,Iez.ebel : This Church ftrft of all,.. as it were another ?ehu, took orderl for the calling down of.this painted and fhameleffe Harlot out ofthe window, fo as it dashed her brains out againft the earth. Whence it is, that fhe is not reproved ,nonot inone word, for this fault, This Church therefore hath a namethat the liveth, becaufe of the truth that was refoored in her; which the hathmanifefted in a marvellousmanner; andnot a little, for her no- table courage, whereby fhe broke and trode under foot the Romig./ Tyranny,fhaking it offnotonely from her own fhoulders, but expo ling it ajlfo to the derifion ofthe wholeworld : yet íhe is dead, as be- ing infected dangeroufly with no (mall errours and corruptions, above.
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