Microcosmography: OR SPECULUM MUNDI BEING A GLASS FOR WORLDLINGS.  
A SERMON Preached at the funeral of the Right Worshipful SPENCER LUCY Esq at Charlecote, August 11. 1649.  
By Christopher Massey Master of Arts of Gonu. and Caius College Cambridge.  
LONDON Printed by RICHARD COTES Anno Dom. 1650.   

To the Right Worshipful Robert Lucy Esq my most honoured PATRON.  
I Am very sensible of the unfledgednesse of this Lapwing that runs about so confidently. Be pleased therefore instead of its shell, to let it have the shadow of such a wing, the glory of such a name as yours is, affixed to it; but let it go as a Decoy to bring in souls. For truly some have been pleased to esteem these pieces of Glass which I broke at your Royal seat Charlcote, at an higher rate than to be only thrown out to choke Hens, or patched together only to catch Larks. But whether it be custom or the importunity of some that heard it, that hath got it from me, it will now undeceive those that heard it not. 'tis a Sea but so calm and clear, that he that can stoop with the Country wench to see his foul face in fair water, may find in himself, both what to wash off, and what (with Narcissus) to fall in Love withal.  
Sir I am weary of catching shadows and embracing clouds and will now entirely devote myself to prayer for you and your noble family, that that great God whose Throne is indeed a Mercy-seat to all that sincerely address themselves to it in the name of the Mediator, will preserve to you your inheritance in Canaan and Heaven; and so I humbly subscribe to be ever  
Your obliged Servant and faithful Chaplain Christopher Massey.   

Microcosmography: OR, SPECULUMMUNDI: Being a Glass for Worldlings.  
A SERMON preached at the Funeral of the Right Worshipful SPENCER LUCY, Esq  REV. 4.6. 
Before the throne was a sea of Glass like Crystal.  
IF I did intent to word it only (as the use is now a days, the use and principal, even in Doctrines and Uses) I might easily style the seven Bishops and Churches in the three precedent Chapters, St john's Reformed Churches, his Heptarchy, his Patriarchy: this the rather, for though in his two latter Epistles he is an Elder; yet in his first a father; and, lest he should be mistaken for a Lay-Elder, in this Apocalypse, a Divine. So like his emblem the soaring Eagle (though perhaps not so clearly from ver. 7.) he not only gazes on the world's light himself, but bears his Eaglets on his wings, to teach them with undazeled eye to fix on Alpha and Omega, an ever rising, never setting sun.  
But now in this fourth Chapter, he gins to discover in enigmatical Ideas of God's decrees, the future militant Churches mournings to the world's end.  
Vers. 2, 3. A throne, not empty, but the Jasper, Sardine, Emerald stone, the Eternal Trinity on it. vers. 4. Four and twenty Elders enthroned, i. e. the triumphant Church, Jewish, Gentile, in their lawful Representative twice twelve Founders, Patriarches, Apostles. vers. 5. God writes contra gentes, lightnings, thunderings, etc. black lines. vers. 6. A sea, i. e. the world, in which his militant Church is tossed, that I say not shipwrackt. Rejoice ye faithful, for though vers. 6. your pressures great, yet ver. 3. the great God is your judge, and your avenger, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, you are before his throne.  
I intended no other division for my discourse before this honourable presence, but that of soul and body; but the Scripture is so brief in this matter, speaking but one word or two of the greatest persons Funeral, that I am forced to present you with these particulars.  
1. A show, a spectacle, the world. 2. A Spectator, God: both their actings under three several disguises.  
The world. 1. A sea tumultuous. Yet 2. 'tis glass, quickly broken. Yet 3. like crystal, shining clear. But again although, 1. Like crystal, bright. Yet 2. 'tis glass, brittle. 3. A Sea brinish.  
God, as on a throne, intimating in respect of himself, 1. His judgement. 2. Majesty. 3. Eternal rest. In respect of the world, 1. His power. 2. Presence. 3. Essence.  
See the pretty knack, the thing they call the world. 'Tis 1. a sea, Why do we immerse ourselves in it? Air is man's element. 2. Glass, Why build on it? Earth is man's pavement. 3. Crystal, its congealed Atoms, yield nothing but coldnesses, hardnesses; Fire (love) is a Christians element. Else,  
See 1. the power of God in judgement to condemn thee. Or 2. the Majesty of his presence to shame thee. Or 3. the eternal rest and happiness of his essence to allure thee. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
They that go down to the sea in ships, Psal. 107.23. they behold the great Gods works and wonders: we are shipped for an hour, and though it be dangerous travelling at sea, yet the right spirit of our righteous Saviour with his gentle breathe, his effectual gales will harbour us in quiet; for lambs may wade here, where elephants drowned. The comfort is ver. 1. the door (which the lambs well know) is open. Sweet Jesus, we know no door but thee: How shall man's beetle-cyed body, nay eaglecyed soul pierce into heaven, but through thee? Lord open, before it be too late for fools to enter.  
First, the world is the sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; so Ribera, Bullinger, Pererius, Paraeus here; so Scripture (the best Expositor) Mat. 13.47. Christ's Kingdom is like a net cast into the sea: where the Ship is the Church, the Sea the World, the Net the Word, the Fishermen Ministers, Fish the Men of the world: 'Twas good fishing when mutus ut piscis was in date, our fish will catch the fishermen. So the Church of England (the Catholic Churches best Expositor) in her form of Baptism— may so pass the waves of this troublesome world. And he that rests not in her judgement, sink or swim at his own peril be it.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world's a sea; and then needs must it be dangerous, where the Prince of the Air throws down his blustering storms, those shortened days, Mat. 24.22. will ere long leave him to his eternal night; where sin in stead of sand to ballast us, is quicksands to bury us; Honour bubbles, Passion froth, Company waves crowding on one another, Misery the ebb, Successes the tide, a stream (however Trout bear up against it) against which no striving. Our tears, as soon as borne prognosticate its brinishnesse. Our life being tears for misery, at the best for sin.  
'Tis a sea, see this 1. in its rage, Psalm. 93. & 98. the floods have voices and hands, so like the wicked world, cry down with it, and put forth sacrilegious hands to pull in the poor ship the Church; or under pretence of having it to the dock, pair it, and patch it, till it have as little of the ancient ship in it as that of the Athenians. Christiani tollantur has been the voague of all ages, decimentur, let them be tithed; nay what is worse, let no tithes be paid. These worldly ones are properly the sea, Esay 57.20. a boiling sea, their heart casts forth mire, dirt, scum: Murders, thefts, etc. Mat. 15.19. Oh how it troubles David, Psal. 73. to see how the fish of this sea rant it, these prosper. They are not cursed, that dwell in the sea, only the Earth, Aire, Gen. 3. nor are they sufferers in that great drowning time, Gen. 7. these tyrannical winds and waves make for them. I may in a word decide those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1. That there be Men-fish, Tritons, Nereids, Syrenes. 2. That the earth and sea (joy and sorrow, good and bad) make up one globe. Yet 3. that there is more sea than land. And 4. that the sea is higher than the dry land. If you see,  
2. Depth, for here you see God's footsteps are not known, Psal. 77.19. no tract of God: his discipline in the Church. His faithful must take notice of sin, and of the punishment of sin, and fear to sin. His Israel must make bricks, whilst their Nimrods', Pharaohs perpetuate, their names in Babel's, Pyramids. St. john himself like an hoary apple, having scaped the locust, the wind and storm, the pluckers hand, hung near an hundred years old on the tree of life, yet then unseasonably enough, must be coddled in a caldron of oil because Christians derive their pedigree from Christ, and Christ his from, his spiritual chrism. O when thou com'st to Heaven, thou shalt know how Domitian's brazen Sea hurt him not, only proved a Bath to renew him: then thou shalt clearly see, why Adam falls, why Cain kills Abel, Apryes seremy, Esay sawn asunder by Manasses. Then thou shalt plainly read what the four Beasts be. What and whose that mazing knot of figures, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 666. What God and Magog, what Harmageddon. Be not rash in judging. St. Paul made but a glance as it were at that future light, but had he not borrowed a thorn from his Saviour's Crown, much Revelation had made him mad. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'tis deep.  
3. Inconstant; wavering ebbs flows, now calm, now storm, so inconsistent the great World. So its compendium, job 14. never continues in one stay, for 2 Sam. 14.14. all spill and glide away like water, in continual haste to fall into this Sea; No Planet more hastens Westward then this wand'ring Tabernacle of Dust, this sod of earth to its centre, this rivulet to its Ocean. He finds a fall and a spring tide in his veins, till as Psal. 2.14. he is poured out clearly like water, not a jot sticks to the vessel: alas, What advantage has that water that is exalted above the Heavens? but to see his greater ruin from an higher place. Thus in this world, Psal. 107.26. Mounts up to heaven, then suddenly drops down to hell, (the Poet owes perchance to the Prophet, jamjam tacturus, etc.) now all's serene and we mistake it for heaven; then Wars, Famines, Plagues, in a necessary chain, nay the Plague of all plagues, civil Wars, muddy us, and hell seems not more sooty, more black, more devilish; thus in States. Now repent, then justified, then sanctified, in a necessary concatenation too; then in heaven, but that a great billow, some sinful stumble, slip, fall rebounds us to our earth, glues our souls to the pavement; then in hell. Thus in Church, temporal, spiritual state in this world is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, mutable.  
Yet though 1. Never so variable, so long as we six not our Ark any where but on Ararat, so long as we sit not down with our Tabernacle till we come to Shiloh; so long as with those celestial bodies we sail on fixed poles, only making the great God, not this little earth our centre, we shall be blessed at least in our Haven. Our castles on earth may sink in their ruins, our castles on the Sea in their seditious waves, our castles i'th' air in our giddy fancies, we have a castle higher than Earth, Sea, Fancy: the Lord is our Castle, Psal. 31.4.  
2. Though the Sea in Dog-days, (such days as these) is thicker and darker, no wind to hinder the Suns-salting-power, yet is it safer swimming in these deeps than in shallows, in salt waters than in sweet. Nay Israel is safer in the red Sea than on land: nor are fishes salt because in the Sea, Abraham, Let not tainted in the dead Sea, God's children make all waters sweet. So as Elias, 2 King. 2.20, 21. by throwing in salt: a salt to which I may truly apply Homer's Epither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and which they having within themselves Mark. 9.5. (faith) relish all things, be they never so bitter and distasteful to humane sense; and also give the right seasoning and Hogoo of God's  and man's: and hence is that, they say, there are sweet Fountains in the deepest saltest Seas. Nay;  
3. Though never so raging and boisterous, there is no Sea, but, he that had sounded all of them says, 1 Cor. 10.13. is navigable, nay profitable, for God's Halcyons can breed here. Only as they that travel through those Tides of Sand in the Arabian deserts do shelter themselves in Arks, or Castles on Camels backs, make thee an Ark according to God's command, and thou shalt sail in safety in a deluge; nay thy child with Moses in the Ark of God's covenant thou shalt find in safety. Oh if like a fly thou cabin thyself in some little crevice of this great ship thou wilt come to the Haven in Peace. Be the red Sea ne'er so cold, be the Furnace never so hot, both stand up like a wall to Israel. Ever since Christ the true Halcyon was born, here was peace, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Secondly, This Sea is Glassy, every fall, every knock, every clash breaks it. Whether it be that microcosm, man, witness those unperceived needles from the Italian bow, yet where they are not cunning enough to enter, grief, envy, malice, more subtle engines will dash him to pieces: or whether those great worlds, the world of pleasure, the world of profit, the world of honour, such they are. Ice not more slippery, Glass not more brittle.  
1. Such in respect of their chief matter, sand, ashes: their parts as impossibly coherent into ropes, and yields the foolish soul a foundation, Mat. 7.27. as inconsistent.  
2. In their effects as dangerous to their entrails. So taken inwardly do their hard angles grate and pierce the inward man. Here swelling it with pride, there inflaming it with those dropsy desires of having and in a word spoiling the bowels of mercy. Yet;  
3. Such in respect of the continuity of their parts; so that a heart made up of these worlds, is indeed become glassy, yielding to nothing without breaking, but the Diamonds points, the quicksilver to which I compare the Word and Spirit of God) that boreas through metals, gold, silver, etc. or stone; enters not a worldly heart. All the dews of God's graces spend themselves like Hony-falls on the Dead Sea, as little fruit as notice of them. The beams of his Spirit, fall as on a Sea of glass rebounded in his face: and like glass only ductile in the fire; the Lord can do no good on this world till he bring it into the fire. The water that he manifested his anger in to the old world, or the water that he shows his mercy in, to the present, Baptism, or the Baptism of tears no good. Nay not culinary, ordinary fires, he must drop down the Element, or Mat. 24.27. come like lightning so swift, so sudden, so consuming, yet though never so hard, it is but b●●tle.  
'Tis a sad truth, what many melancholy people have fancied, that we are glass: not that Christian Religion is only a fit of fancy or melancholy, O there are such transcendent enjoy in God, such joy in the exercise of the habits of grace and virtue beyond the dreamt music of Aristotle's eleven moral Crystal spheres which make the proudest, calmest smiles this world affords madness; but because this great treasure, this soul preseure is in gallipots or course green glasses, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 2 Cor. 4.7. earthen shells. Alas that we so admire the shell, that we feed not on the meat. Alas that weso gaze on the glass that we regard not the face that it represents. Alas that with the  Indians, we so are taken up with this glass, that the Merchant Rev. 3.18. that sells gold (grace) has no custom: though the price of his gold, be only to take it while he offers it, and put it to use. This Sea is a false glass; like those false glasses that are contrived, so, as to represent all faces, much unlike the natural. Such was that mirror of Smyrna which showed such mutability in the face, that a fair one might show ugly; and an uggly one fair. Think now what a poor portion thou leavest thy child, though never so fair an estate, a cupboard of glasses, a shelf of gallipots; All worldly estates and conditions are glassy. How glassy that Sea of Rome, that once was marble? How brittle jacob's stone, though it will prove marble? glassy even the keys of our Church, though one should have esteemed them more durable than Iron. glassy our Bishop Seas, though pure Venice break ere hold poison, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Oh then let us go down to the Glassemans' house as jer. 18. you shall not only see man's spirit imprisoned in a glass, but says St. Paul 1 Cor. 13.12. & 2 Cor. 3. ult. if you will see God in this dark time of our earthly pilgrimage, you must see him in a glass; not that you should believe the eternal Spirit is imprisoned in a glass too, (as some black Artists, or rather cheating Hocuspocusses, seem to promise you) but twice he calls you, to see him in a glass, that you might not only as men see him in the creature, but as Christian men, in the Word: as for his creatures, the more clear they are, the more lively they represent him; yet see again, the more clear they are, the more glassy and brittle they are: so that as it is no wonder to see man, the nobler piece of God's creature, broken, much less need we strange to see the noblest of men, make such haste to their unripe fall, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Yet stay, the world's not the worse for being so glassy; if so slippery, so brittle, 'twill teach us not to stand on it, not to rely on it; Nor is the little world the worse; Oh it will make us very careful, that we do not fall into sin with preparation: into the grave unprepared. Nay, nay, ever since I knew Psal. 51. that, God's Gospel-Sacrifice was a broken heart, I can't think but that we are the better for being so easily broken. Rome only can show the man, (however Tiberius is reported to have put him to death) that makes glass flexile, or an heart that is only attrite, by the turn of a key, contrite. Lord give us breaking hearts: Which though 1. in their nature, they be not feysable with good, though 2. in their effects they be dangerous, not being well broken: Yet 3. by the power of thy Word and Spirit they may become malleable, and consequently an acceptable reasonable sacrifice to thee.  
Thirdly, this Sea is like Crystal, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Where if I may beg leave to speak with the Vulgar (as the use is, with those that interpret Gen. 1.16. and such like places of Scripture) I shall not need to quearee after its lapidificall principle, but say with Scaliger 'tis a white pellucid stone concreted of ice, or with the Etymologer, 'tis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, water hardened by extreme cold. And so here again discovers.  
1. The worlds and worldings temper; cold and congealed by nature, and so buried in earth, that heaven can't thaw it. Pharaohs temper, a crystallized heart. The furnace that melts glass finds this a Salamander. Yea,  
2. Appears white, clear and clean; you shall see his inside so clear, his outside so clean, that you will find it a very hard province to write slut in a Pharisees cup, very hard by the eye to discern his sour leaven, from the Saints lump, but you may easily smell him out: for Matth. 23.27. they are but whited Sepulchers. And,  
3. There's the mischief on't, they are transparent to God's eyes, thence their stinking rottenness within, though they can gull and cheat man's eyes, yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they are pellucid, as clear as Crystal to the all searching eyes of the great God. Oh then,  
1. Do not brag thy Crystall-eyes; but Leahs eyes, tender, still dropping, still running with crystal tears. Brag not the ranting, the crystallized heart: no cross, no loss mollify it; no Balm, no anointings of God's Spirit supple it. Consider this ye that have forgotten God, Psal. 50.22. Alas, remember God is a Lion as well as a Lamb, lest he tear you to pieces, and all your forces can't deliver you: if he can't hue his passage through your mountains with entreating tears, he will do it with vinegar. Pray that he will change this stone-heart, for a flesh-heart, Ezek. 36.26. that he would send forth his crystal (as the Lxx. read Psal. 147.17) like morsels, all in pieces.  
2. Boast not thy clearness of knowledge: such a light as Lucian's men in the Moon have, and a thing they call the Spirit, which they ever hold forth as the only Gorgon to stun reason withal: Alas, how dim sighted, how dark in this world we are! glad the quickest to use spectacles; 1 Cor. 13.12. and then see but riddles too, even then when thou comest face to face, thou'lt hid thine eyes with the highest Seraphims, Esa. 6.2. and for all that so much talked of glass of the creatures, or matutine knowledge of Angels, thou wilt find thyself unable to fashion God's depths, to comprehend an incomprehensible essence, God as in himself; though thou dost certainly find inconceivable happiness in him, as he is towards thee. spiritual pride, is medicorum pudor, the spiritual Physicians Gout. The King's Evil, none but the King of Heaven can cure it. Silly animals, what do they do but spoil their wings, the fly that so giddily flappes the flame, or the bird that so securely built her nest in the circle of the Sun. But so unsatisfied is the eye with seeing, or the ears with hearing: whilst all true light, all true revelation, throws us down with Paul, Act. 9.4. humbles us, blinds us, makes us in appearance not seeing, a while here, that we may see and live for ever.  
Boast not the whiteness, clearness; lest, seeing thou art but crystal, thou hast, not that white stone, Rev. 2.17. God's merciful acquittance of thy woeful sin; for although thou thinkest thou canst travel towards heaven, with all thy earthly bunches as fast as the Indian camels, can towards Canaan, yet the needle's eye requires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Luk. 13.24. wrestle to enter in, 'twill be worth your best endeavours. Though now thou appear to thyself and others as clear as crystal, yet at that clear light of that great fire, thou wilt find many straws, many cobwebs, much foulness; and plainly read what secretly thou writ'st with a Lemon, what counterfeitingly thou writ'st with an Onion. These Temples of Egypt will show their Crocodiles, Rats, Onions, at our Saviour's second coming, more than at his first. For,  
3. They are all crystal, most transparent to God's eyes: their-windows are in their tops; glass towards heaven; the allseeing God discovers those leeches, envy, malice, crawling up and down in their glasses. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. So then we must fall on to the second General,  
God the Spectator, before whose throne the world acts; only you must not conceive him to be an idle careless Spectator. You see his Throne placed on these three particulars, so much as concerns the Spectacle the world. 1. His Power. 2. His Presence. 3. Essence. That is, he sits over all the world, 1. as an omnipotent Judge; 2. as an omniscient King; 3. as an omniprovident cause.  
1. His power, he makes scorpions, rabbits, frogs, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, locusts, bees, pismires, lice, devour sinful nations. The Sun that great giant, that had not sinned, swooned at Christ's death to see his Creator in that despised humility, oh how will he darken and die at that general Sizes, when he shall see him in that glory of his power! David, Psal. 14.17. for lack a little of the presence and countenance of his gracious comforter, feels his bones within him jumble together like arrows all in a Quiver. So Hezekiah, Esay 38.13. and that for a little check: What, think you, would these Kings have done, if the omnipotent God should have mated them? His arm is not shortened, it is as able to help in these hopeless days. The Gentiles Atlas may faint, the Jews Samson may fail, but the Christians jesus, the truly victorious Samson will never fail. No snipping his golden locks, the beams of his free Spirit: What bands will you get to chain him up with, that rends rocks aswell as veils? What engine to boar out his eyes, flames of fire, that dazzle the Seraphim aswell as the sun? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
2. His presence, all things are naked, present to him, darkness as well as light, the things that are past, and the things that are to come to pass, to him they are alike visible. He needs not others eyes to see withal, nor the help of glasses to strengthen his sight withal; it may befit Nero to behold his fencers at their exercises, through an emerald; weariness, dimness like cobwebs, will quickly hang in our windows, and darken us, but God sees through crystal: What, shall not he that made the eye, see? He needs no jacobs' staff, not Galilaeus his telescopium; sees all: Shall not he that made the care hear? he needs no whispering places; hears all: Shall not he that made man's soul understand? needs not discourse knows all intuitively. 'Tis true indeed, occaecatur, at prae amore, he sees not sometimes, but it is his love that hides us; he seems deaf sometimes, but it is prae irâ, because he is offended with us; he seems ignorant sometimes, but it is prae justitiâ, because he knows not sin, how to sin, or sinners. Go, go shade thy Arbour, so that the lynx can't dart a beam through its leaves: make thy closet so close, that the day light can't peep in: dig thy vault so under ground, that it will damp a flash of lightning: yet there where the quickest sight is baffled, where the light is bolted out a doors, where the lightning stands at a dare, even there the all-searching eyes of the Lord are. Such, just such an arbour, had Adam seeking shelter under his fig-leaves, jonas under his gourd, Nathaniel under his figtree; so, so close did Saul think himself under the stuff, Achan his wedge under ground, jonas in the ship; so deep was Darius his den, in which they buried Daniel, Malchiahs' dungeon, in which jeremy, josephs' sepulchre in which jesus, or such a vault was in Absalon's heart, when he would steal the people's heart, in saul's religion to spare the rich, in judas his bag, when he would spare for the poor: all are crystalline, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
3. Of his essence: giving all things, being, well being, all having support from this throne. Independents excluded from this throne. The whole creation, being linked to it by a chain of causes in an harmonious subordination, hang on it, as in esse, so in conservari; he concreates and conserveses even the souls of the sons of men; rules all, does all, causally, cardinally, totally. What is nature but Gods will? What is fate but his word? What is that so much adored Fortune, but his wheel to wrack us, to confess the mutability of mortal man? His wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this great music school, the heavens about him dancing and singing Te Deum; the glassy world of men like the harp in his hand, where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the string that gives the highest sound, is the choir of blessed spirits, inhabitants of heaven; the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the string that gives the lowest sound, is the earth and its inhabitants, where if he winds some strings higher, or slackens others, it is surely to make music to his own glory. But what talk I of music or music school? we are not come to Plato's Creed yet, that God is the world's waggoner, his waggon running on the four elements, as on four wheels. Alas! the professors of Christianity are turned infidels. O see, it is Christ's Creed, Mat. 4.4. man lives not by bread alone, but by his word that sanctifies it: Shall Grasshoppers live by dew, and shall not I by the word of the Lord? See, it is the Angel's Creed, Luk. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, every word, that is, every thing is possible with the Lord. Nay, see it is the Devil's Creed, Mat. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, speak, i.e. make these stones, etc. because he does what he speaks, as easily as we speak what we would do, & without him nothing comes to pass, all things by his providence, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
The throne is mentioned no less than 28. times in this book, oh sure it is to put us in mind still to have an eye to it, as encouraged by his power, as awed by his presence, as guided by his providence. This world, the sea, the glass, the crystal, vanishes away. But the Spectator, God, is ever; the Father is an Ocean of mercy, the Son a true Glass reflecting, representing such a Father, the Holy Spirit the true Crystal, through which we see most clearly both the Father, and the Son.  
So that though 1. here be a sea of misery, yet know the sea of mercy loves us, cares for us. Though 2. our nature be very glassy, yet the Son makes it strong by uniting it to him. Though 3. we are full of blindnesses, yet the spirit of Christ is the true Crystal, showing us all things. Wherefore as I have heard spoken, what the sea washes from the Low-countrieses, it leaves in our Eastern parts, so may I say here, what we have have lost in the first part, we may find in the second part, God restores supplies one way or other, what ever the world robs us of. His Power, Presence, Providence is for us. 1. Crystal sees us as a potent Pilot to steer us to a safe harbour. 2. Glassy, yet strengthened by his comfortable presence. So that 3. though the sea rage against us; yet there's not a wave dashes on us, without his Providence, he is not a sleepy Spectator. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Have you heard how it is a sea of Glass? of Glass, because he has set all its roars their bounds, which they cannot pass. Hence our Saviour, Mat. 26.39. not only intimates to us in what kind these brinish waters are sprinkled on us; that is, in kindness, they come from God, i. e. our father; but also the measure, but a cup, a glass of tears, they are proportioned to us; 'tis but thy cup, 'tis but my cup, drink it off; make not a fire, not a god of thy Cross, but carry it patiently to thy Golgatha, and make it a cup of salvation. For here is matter of true consolation, the Devil cannot tempt the first or the second Adam, but in God's word, and he that holds fast that word of truth cannot be deceived. He cannot make one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without our God, Exod. 8. nor hurt an Ox or an Ass till impowered, job. 1. not drown that unclean beast of the more unclean Gergesens, Mat. 8. not pluck a bristle from the Hog's back, as the learnedst Father expresses it, without our God.  
Yet lest we go too fast, I must beg you to take this along with you; that as there is not a sparrow falls to ground without him, Mat. 10.29. so not an idle word, Mat. 12.36. Does God, think you, take such care of hogs, of sparrows? sure he rather intimates what care he hath of us, whose providence reaches to sensitive creatures: Oh how canst thou be so swinish, to bemire thy reasonable soul in those stinking sinks, which even beasts do loath? How canst thou hope an hair from thine head should not perish, when thy sins are more than the hairs of thine head for number, and for fashion sake less cut off.  
O do but view thyself a little in this glass, and dress thyself accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. How darest thou sin, when as the Lord has a glass, a thing which that most eloquent Orator wished for) in every man's breast, trying, searching, judging, hearts and reins? O rather since thou art glass, be like that in these windows, fight against the storms of passions; fight them all, all the strong holds of sin, of satan, of thine own reason; but let in light, true lights, faith, love, etc. And like those Harpers, Rev. 15.2. stand on this sea of glass, despise what is below your high birth, God's offspring, trample all the things of this world under foot, that as St. Paul, Rom. 8.38. we may in all things be more than conquerors, even in this life; more! How can that be? yes, because we shall never be ashamed of our victory through him that loved us, we shall parta tueri, no man shall pluck us out of his hand. Yet know that to conquer is not to keep one commandment (as the use is now a days) cry up the fourth commandment, and 'tis no matter what becomes of the fifth, sixth, seventh, eight, etc. O let not sin break in at one commandment! if once you give it but a little leak, and take no care to stop it, you call your ship in question. For sin is more dangerous than a Remora, it not only stays your progress in grace (though it be but small) as an external agent, but weakens grace, as an enemy within, as a Torpedo, benumbs the soul, and senselessly sinks it.  
Me thinks I see a soul at the general Resurrection, going to assay its new clothes, with what squeamish horror it beholds its former dust. Is this that sea that was so flourishing, so green in mine eyes, that I forsook the ocean of mercy that ran softly, for? Is this that brittle and weak glass that I had thought Gods free spirit had been cooped up in? Is this that glass that I looked into more than the perfect law of liberty? Is this that Crystal that I preferred before the true loadstone that pulled me so kindly, so strongly towards him? How dark now is this shell that made such a glittering show in the dark? How were mine eyes deceived with that which seemed its proper colour? How perishable was my fancied immortality?  
Alas! when death, pale chilly death comes crawling down thy snowy Alps, drilling down thy hoary hill, when thou beginnest to feel him at thy gates besieging thee, pulls up now thy palisado, now is in thy outward works, nay now in thy suburbs, has taken thy senses, thy eyes dim, hearing dull, tasting done, nay is taking a limb of thee, thy feet cold; How will thy heart beat up a march into another world? How wilt thou shrug, groan? How wilt thou hope that this last minute shall be accepted, who hast not spent one day truly in God's service all thy life long? What is now left thee, but those unutterable prayers of the spirit, sighs, groans, if then acceptable? For there is a time when God is stone, as you have seen from ver. 3. Thou thinkest him a father, and he is Jasper; thou thinkest to find him a brother, & he is Sardin; thou doubtst not to find him a comforter, but he proves an Emerald. Yet pray, thou art in the glass house before the throne. Nay pray, Heb. 4.16. with all liberty of speaking, for he will be bread to his children, Luk. 11.11. and not stone, he will be found by such as seek him in the acceptable opportunities: and though, Rev. 20.11. his throne be a great one, to show his power, majesty, providence; yet it is a white one, to show his meekness, mercy: and that this throne is a mercy seat, was revealed, although but vailed, Exod. 25.22. standing upon the ark, trampling as it were the law under feet. After some silence of his, after some trial of us, after much rage of the world, and the world's prince, comes Tace, obmutesce; so that though he lets sorrow flow in full tides o'ernight, yet it ebbs in the morning. However, I believe he can make iron, swim. I believe, it he throw me into the sea with jonas, he will provide me a fishes belly, for my ship or coffin. He that counts of his body, but as of his souls prison, may easily rejoice when the Lord shall be pleased to snap this frail glass a pieces, to rench open these prison doors, and give us footing in a more lasting world.  
That bad spirit, Mat. 4.8. was but the goods spirit's Ape, who also lifts us aloft to see this glassy world's glory. Only the Devil draws a curtain before its glassinesse, its fadingness. But see here, as plainly as in Archimedes his sphere of glass, how sleepily, how dully, the earth and its adherents be fixed; whilst the heavens and heavenly things are weariless, restless in declaring God's glory: see plainly man's life (which is like a thread spun from the true distaff of God's decrees, though with many turn and wind) as the Scripture elsewhere compares it, like to a visage in a glass. O since this world is so brittle that we cannot carry it up to heaven, it must be crumbled to pieces, let us bring down heaven on earth, and take it by force. To do this we must not only have our head (by faith in Christ) in another world, but with that great Mathematitian our footing too (our conversation.)  
To this purpose I hope it may be, if I present you with another world, though a Microcosm, a little one, disgused now under those blacks, and he, 1. a sea, a man of sorrows, or a sea of troubles. 2. Yet glassy, a mortal man, there's an end of all perturbations. Yet 3. Crystal, he was a Christian, an immortal man. For though 1. like a sea he had his ebbs, his flows, yet he had his immensities, his depths too. Though 2. he was glassy, being made up of such a sandy, dusty principle, yet 3. he was Crystal; ennobled with so clear knowledges, so perspicuous excellencies.  
Yet for variety sake, be pleased to take with me another method, another way to the same City. And 1. the same great God, creator and preserver of all things (and more especially of man) being placed in his throne of power, presence, essence: Let us 2. view this narrow sea, this little world brought on the stage, in his several actings. Many very eminent men in the Church of God, have compared the life of man to a Play. So does St. Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.9. his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Heb. 10.33. seem to allow it, and allude to it. Expositors find such drams, such interlocutors, such chores in the Canticles, and even in this Apocalypse.  
I am sure, here are some in this honourable presence do very well remember the time when he spoke his Prologue (as all do at their entrance) in tears, which though not divine, yet divining the future brinishness of this troublesome sea.  
His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉— but here I must be silent, lest I revive that ocean of tears, that near nine years since seemed to drowned his country aswell as his family, or those last years torrents which heaven and earth seemed to weep, to carry on the celebration of his most honourable parents' funerals.  
The sun is again entered Cancer, and we mourning. It is God's harvest time, & he hath taken the tithe, whether we will or no.  
His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he acted a while under Artists at home, which could both give him the sunny side of the garden, and with fine reflecting glasses ripen him; and we well know, that his vast memory, sudden apprehension, fine expression, refined judgement, etc. must needs place him in the first Classis of Gentlemen. But lest our coal or turf smoke, should be thought equally sweet, with the cried up frankincense of other countries, he passes that neck of sea that cuts the head of England, from the body of Europe; where his tongue so quaintly relishes the honeyed language of the French, that it makes me think, that though our Bees make honey the same way, yet theirs have more flowers of Rhetoric.  
His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may show you his returned state, when his natural Father leaving him, he finds quickly a political to adhere to, and with that Vestal zeal, that resolved constancy, that all other ties, nay his houses and lands, nay his life must a while stand under sequestration. Merciful heart, thy stables and studies, thy horses and houses plundered, whilst many of thine enemies own their houses, their lives to thee! Few Gentlemen in Oxford gave more groats than he shillings, and that to his foes sometimes as well as his friends, knowing that when their sins were greater, Calais would be won again. It was here that he made choice of his Virtuous and choice Lady, where all that censure him say; his aim was rather to join man and wife than house to house. His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 began at his sad coming hither last year. And since his late King died, he lived only as headless bodies do, in some struggles of forma corporeitat is: & now you plainly see, that the King was indeed the breath of his mother; or like to that of Psal. 131.2. My soul is even as a weaned child. Blessed Lord, thou hast given me fair and full breasts to live on, yet so much wormwood withal makes me nauseat the nibble. The Cross of Christ, like the Mathematicians point, gins and ends the line of our learning and life.  
It was just two months before that Sabbath (on which I hope he began his eternal Sabbath in heaven) when after a week spent in continual prayers and preparation, he incorporates himself into the body of Christ in that sacred Ceremony (so much slighted) of his own institution, after the form of the Church of England, yea notwithstanding much bodily indisposition in the sacred place. Pious soul, I feared, that the cold assembling, the clownish behaviour, the nonsense devotion used there, had quite frighted thee away from thence long since: so that as we see in heavy bodies, the nearer they approach to their centre, the more speedily they hast to it, so pensive souls, the neererthey draw to God the faster they go to God: so that though ever before he did converse with the Lord in prayer twice or thrice daily, yet now as aiming at the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he has been observed to have trebled that thrice and more, nay lest 〈◊〉 devotion should be dried up or not grow, he used to water it with clouds of tears, surely of tears from Heaven: and now how is it possible, for malice not to give way for me to speak, what was said of once-wicked St. Augustine, A son of so many tears can't perish.  
Yet because our love to man is the Index of our love to God, oft, oft did he beg of the Lord that he might live to do that good which either he had hitherto omitted; or his estate not permitted: Weep Charlcote, weep you sister towns; weep Hampton, thy annual come in, must have gone only to make thy poors go out, and come in to bless the Lord for him. Weep Highcleere, thy barren hill knows what it is to have him to water thee. How oft did he send secretly to inquire what poor were at his gates? And then how oft send meat and money secretly, whereby the hungry soul might be satisfied?  
And now Elias-like he cries, take away my'life; yet flies the jezebel, that would have taken it; because he would not that death should take it till the Lord that gave it, was willing to receive it, insomuch that when he went to Bath, he said plainly he went to Bath to die: so he baths himself in those mineral waters and dies. So having bathed himself in the blood of Christ, he lives; and to say all, Had not the malignancy of conjunctions above and divisions below, had not the goodness of God and the wickedness of man, in all this stage been predominant, that lending his clock wheels, and this weights, his days had not been so short, his hour so soon.  
This is the grassiness, this the glassiness of all humane things. On this ground it was that Ptolomee raised that glassy tomb to Great Alexander: yet me thinks I may complain with St. August. Sivitrei essemus, etc. If we were glass, we should not be so easily broken. A glass may be kept from breaking some hundreds ●ears, but at threescore and ten gins man's fall. Alas! he has made a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and must die, he has a dying principle within him, a spark of natural heat, which being outed, we are but ashes. Oh when we only dress ourselves by our own glass, and not by the Gospel, jam. 1.23, 25. consider only how green, how spacious our Sea is, and not how deep, how dangerous: how shining our Crystal, and not how transparent, how hard our glass is, and not how brittle, our Sun knows no Eclipse, no set. But when in the free Law of Christ we take our dimensions, our Sea is Glass, our Glass is ashes, our Crystal is Ice. In earth we are dust, in the Water a bubble, in the Air a vapour, in the Fire smoke, in the Light a shadow. Well, since we are no better, but a shadow, Psal. 102.11. Oh then follow you the gre at Sun of Heaven, the truth, for though; all men are said to be liars, yet men of high degree, Psal. 62.9. are in the Abstract, a lie. And such a vial of blood, such a weak glass of nature is this, which it hath pleased God should at last come thus broken home.  
Most honoured Sir, pardon me, and give me leave to speak one word to you, you succenturiate him. I see many mourners followers of this Hearse with tears that are not here. 1. Poor hungry bowels, they are the Lord treasury: cast in thither your mites, at least your superfluities, they are Christian Sacrifices. He that slights Bullocks and Rams, accepts a piece of bread, he that slights rivers of Oil, disdains not a cup of cold water. 2. Orphans, widows, those hope to have you a Father to them, these an husband, they are the test of your Religion, jam. 1. ult. despise not the sigh of these poor, destitute, and helpless, that sit alone on the house tops. 3. Virtue's divine, moral, all mourners, as the times go, and beg some countenance from you and from this honourable presence. So he that can raise bodies will raise your Estate, he that can curse and ravel and crumble an estate, will bless, will increase yours.  
And then here needs no tears to embalm this Corpse, no sheet to shroud him; we shall all wind him up in a white clean memory; and for his humane frailties, let this black coffin, and that dark vault lock them up for ever. Nay, then weep not Charlcote, let not Charlcote be made an Hadadrimmon. Weep not his country, he hath added to it a loyal name. Let it bewail her Absalon's that die in Parricide, etc. when she shall see those tame ridden mules leave them dangling (like those harps Psal. 137.2.) in the trees; it need not lament her innocent dead children. But I have been too long I fear conversing in this lower world, let us now address ourselves to the upper.  
Mereifull Lord, we now come to dip our buckets in thee the only boundless, only bottomless Ocean of Mercy: Oh let every one according to the several measure and capacity of the vessels we bring, draw life (grace, glory) out of thee. Though in Adam thou hast made us all mortal, yet in Christ, through the death of Christ hast revived us; and when thou drankest that cup of trembling for us, didst swallow down death and all, and brokest open the prison gates of the grave, so that we are all prisoners of hope, raise us here from sin to grace, that thou mayst hereafter raise us from the grave to glory, that here and ever all glory, power, majesty, may be ascribed to thee the only true God, etc.  
FINIS.