NEW ENGLAND'S TEARS, FOR OLD ENGLAND'S FEARS.  
Preached in a Sermon on July 23. 1640. being a day of Public Humiliation, appointed by the Churches in behalf of our Native Country in time of feared dangers.  
By WILLIAM HOOKE, Minister of GOD'S Word; Sometime of Axmouth in Devonshire, now of Taunton in New England.  
Sent over to a worthy Member of the honourable House of Commons, who desires it may be for public good.  
LONDON, Printed by T. P. for john Rothwell and Henry Overton, and are to be sold at the Sun in Paul's Churchyard, and in Popes-head Alley. 1641.   

TO THE READER.  
COURTEOUS READER;  
THou hast here presented to thy view, a Sermon preached to some in New-England for Old England's sake: wherein is expressed much love, to a Country left. It was once imputed to Anaxagoras, that he cared not for his Country, because he seemed to be little moved with the ruins thereof. This cannot be imputed to our brethren of New-England; for they, not seeing, nor hearing of, only fearing the ruins of this our Country, were deeply affected with it; a sign they love us. Some have applied that of the Apostle to them, 1 John 2.19. (They went out from us, because they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us,) but how falsely it is applied, this Sermon doth discover: for certainly they are of us, though they be gone from us, for if they were not of us, their affections would not have so continued to us, as to fast and pray for us. Amor poscit amorem Let our affections be endeared to them.  
As for this Sermon, expect not care-pleasing, but heart-affecting phrases in it: the Author sought not so much to please as to profit; nor to inform the judgement, as to work upon the affections; If thou bring thy heart with thee to the Reading of it, thou mayst find thy heart melting by Reading of it, and then thou shalt have cause to bless GOD for it. Vale.   

NEW ENGLAND'S TEARS, FOR OLD ENGLAND'S FEARS.  JOB 2.13. 
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word unto him, for they saw that his grief was very great.  
THE words are spoken of Jobs three friends, who were now come to visit him, and sympathise with him in the time of his distress. They had made an appointment thus to do, vers. 11. viz. to come to mourn with him, and to comfort him. For thus the godly should send to one another in like case, and acquaint one another with the sorrows and calamities of their friends and brethren, and agree to contribute and cast in their sorrows and sympathise when their friends are afflicted. A godly practice, and which the Churches in this Land do well this day to imitate.  
Now then are Jobs friends coming towards him, and when they lift up their eyes a far off, they knew him not, etc. Affliction may so alter the outward face of things and friends, that ancient acquaintance may not know them. Upon this, they sat down with him upon the ground, etc.  
The sum of what is now read unto you, is the sympathy of jobs friends in the time of his calamity; and from it we may observe this point,  
That it is the part of true friends and brethren, 
Obser.  to sympathise and fellow-feele with their brethren and friends when the hand of God is upon them. For thus, you see, did jobs three friends here do; and they performed a very brotherly office of love in so doing. When therefore afterwards their hearts grew more hard towards him, he calls upon them for the same compassions, 
job 19.21.  Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends, for the hand of the Lord hath touched me. From whence we may likewise collect, that when the hand of God hath touched a friend, all his friends should have tender pity upon him. And such affections have the godly shown forth, as we find in Scripture. Who is weak, saith Paul, and I am not weak? 
2 Cor. 11.29.  Who is offended, and I burn not? When David was in great heaviness, as being under a great affliction by the rebellious insurrection of the son of his own loins against him, Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, David's dear friend, did neither dress his feet, 
2 Sam. 19.24,  nor trim his beard, nor wash his clothes, until the day that the King returned in peace. And Jeremy writes a book of Lamentations for Judah's misery, though himself had then his life given him for a prey. When the natural body of Christ was to suffer, he said to his friends, Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves; but when his mystical body suffers, he expects that we should not weep so much for ourselves as for him.  
Nay, David sympathizeth with his very enemies; As for me, when they were sick, my clothing was Sackcloth, and I humbled my soul by fasting; I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother, I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother, Psal. 35.13, 14. Whence we gather, what our affections and behaviours ought to be for our friends, brethren, and mother, in their distress. Yea, which is yet more, we find one wicked man fellow feeling with another. Ahaziah, a wicked King went down to visit wicked Joram the son of Ahab, because he was sick, 2 King. 8.27, 29. And both God and his Church and Children will complain in the want of this brotherly affection. Among all her Lovers, saith Jeremy, she hath none to comfort her, Lam. 1.2. It was indeed Jerusalem's misery not to be pitied, but withal it was her Lover's sin. Therefore she complains, vers. 12. Is it nothing unto you all, ye that pass by? Behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, etc. Again, I called for my Lovers, but they deceived me. 
Vers. 19  And Obadiah prophesieth against Edom for their cruelty, and want of compassion with their brethren of Judah in the day of their distress. When Christ is any way afflicted, he expecteth to be pitied, 
Matth. 25.  and will openly condemn them before all the world that omit this duty. And that parabolical speech of Christ to the Jews, of children sitting in the Market place, and calling one to another, 
Luk. 7.32.  and saying; We have mourned to you, and ye have not wept, is taken from this ground, that it is matter of just complaint, if when friends do mourn, their fellows do not weep.  
But the Scriptures are express in the command of this sympathy. 
Rom. 12.15, 16.  Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep; be of the same mind one towards another. When the Apostle had said, Let brotherly love continue; in the verses following he instanceth in two duties thereof; 
Heb. 13.1, 2, 3  first, In entertaining strangers; secondly, In remembering them that are in bonds as bound with them, and them that suffer adversity, as being ourselves also in the same body. God doth then expressly require this part of brotherly love. The Doctrine is clear enough, It is the part of true friends, 
Prov. 17.17.  etc. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is borne for adversity.  

Reasons.  
Because they are members of the same body; the Reason intimated by the Apostle, Remember them that are in adversity, as being yourselves also in the same body. Now it is the part of one member to fellow-feele with another. When the Shunamites son was sick, especially in one part, his whole body complained, saying, My head, 
2 King. 4.19.  my head. This made David to say for my brethren and Companions sake, I will say, 
Psal. 1 22, 8.  Peace be within thee. He desired the peace of Jerusalem, because of his brethren and companions there, who were as it were, bone of his bone.  
It is a great lightning of the afflictions of brethren, to be bemoaned by brethren and friends in time of affliction. Solamem miseris socios, etc. social sorrows do somewhat solace the miserable. Which we see in Jerusalem's Complaint for want of pity from her Lovers, and Jobs (at last) from his friends. Now it is the part of friends and fellows to bear one another's burdens. Yea it is of the Law of Christ, 
Gal. 6.2.  which is the Law of Love. And surely, if a man doth but see his horse over-burdened, he will run presently and lighten the load that is upon him.  
Again; Consider that it may be the case of, friends themselves, who then would be glad to be sympathized with. A man that hath friends, 
Prov. 18. last.  saith Solomon, must carry himself friendly. He may soon else lose his friends when he expects to be dealt with friendly by them. One reason why mercy rejoiceth against judgement, 
jam. 2.13.  is because as it hath yielded mercy to others in time of Judgement, so now it expects the same from them in like case.  
Lastly, It is an easy service of Love. It cost Jobs friends but little to come and bestow their tears and their sorrows upon him. What can a friend do less? true friendship and brotherhood goes further, it will, nay it must, if need be, lay down its life for the brethren. 
1 joh. 3.16.    

Use.  
Before I come to the main use which I aim at, I will speak a few words, by way of Information, to show how fare they are from being friends or brethren, who are ready to rejoice at the afflictions and miseries of others. A right Edomitish quality; 
Obad. vers. 12.  for Edom rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction, and spoke proudly in the day of their distress: and these were a cursed generation. And indeed the Psalmist implies it to be a property of abjects thus to do: In mine adversity they rejoiced, 
Psal. 35.15.  and gathered themselves together, yea the abjects, (i.e. the castaways) gathered themselves together. And it is commonly observed, that men and women who have turned Witches, and been in league with the devil, thereby to do mischief, are never given over so to do, till they begin to have an evil eye, which grieveth at the Prosperity, and rejoiceth at the misery of others. Hence Witchcrast is described by an evil eye.  
I know not what eye hath bewitched my young Lambs. And when any are bewitched, 
Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascina● agnos.  it is a phrase of speech among many to say, they are overseen, i.e. looked upon with a malicious eye. Nay, it is the property of the devil to be thus affected. Man's prosperity is his p●ine, and man's adversity his rejoyeing, as we see in job; neither is there (scarce) any thing that doth more import the seed of the Serpent in a man, than this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoicing in the evil and misery of another. It is then the property of Edomites, abjects, witches and devils, to rejoice in the misery that befalleth others. And though I am not able to charge any of you with this cursed affection, yet I do wish you to look into your own hearts; for this I am sure, here are strong temptations sometimes, leading towards it in this Land, which when they meet with an heart void of grace, must needs stir up the disposition in it, and not only emulations and envyings, but witchcraft itself is a work of the flesh. 
Gal. 5.19, 20.   
But the use that I do principally intent, is of Exhortation to you all, as you desire to approveyour self the true friends and brethren of your dear Countrymen in old England, to condole with them this day in their afflictions. Jobs friends, you see, did it for him seven days and seven nights, i.e. many days, oh let us do it then this one day, at least, for these.  
Indeed when we look upon ourselves at this time in this Land, the Lord hath given us great cause of rejoicing, both in respect of civil and spiritual peace. God hath at once subdued the proud Pequats and the proud opinions that risen up in this Land; and for plenty, never had the Land the like. Yea, which is much better, the Word of God grows and multiplieth; 
Act. 12.  the Churches have rest throughout the whole land, and are edified, 
Act. 9.31.  and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost, are multiplied. This is much, and more it would be, if the edge of these and other our comforts were not this day turned by the fear of civil strifes and combustions in the Land of our Nativity, which do not a little abate the sweetness of all other our happiness to us, and call for Lamentation and sack cloth at our hands.  
When Artaxerxes said unto Nehemiah, 
Neh. 2.3.  Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? Have you not read the answer? Why should not my countenance be sad, when the City, the place of my Father's sepulchers lies waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? Why? Nehemiah was well enough at ease, he had honour, and power, and favour, and pleasure enough, and being the King's Cupbearer, he had Wine enough of all sorts at his command, which maketh glad the heart of man. But what is all this not to cloud his countenance, and to overcast it with grief and sorrow, when the City of his Fathers was laid waist, and the gates thereof consumed with fire? Thus Beloved, if our comforts were triple to what they are this day, yet could it not but much abate the sweetness of them, to consider what distresses may lie at this time upon ●ur native Country, for aught we know, a●● have too just cause to fear. When the Ark and Israel and Judah abode in tents, and Joab and his men were encamped in the open fields, 
2 Sam. 12.11.  Vrijah took no comfort in his beautiful wise, nor in his house, nor in his meat and drink.  
Let us therefore, I beseech you, lay aside the thought of all our comforts this day, and let us f●sten our eyes upon the calamities of our brethren in old England, calamities, at least, imminent calamities dropping, sword's that have hung along time over their heads by a twine thread, judgements long since threatened as foreseen by many of God's Messengers in the causes, though not foretold by a Spirit prophetically guided; heavy judgements in all probability when they fall, if they are not fallen already. And not to look upon the occasions given on the one side or the other, between the two Sister Nations (Sister Nations? ah, the word woundeth,) let us look this day simply on the event, a sad event in all likelihood, the dividing of a King from his Subjects, and him from them, their mutual taking up of Arms in opposition and defence; the consequences, even the gloomy and dark consequences thereof, are killing and slaying, and sacking and burning, and robbing and rifting, cursing and blaspheming, etc.  
If you should but see War described to you in a Map, especially in a Country well known to you, nay dear beloved of you, where you drew your first breath, where once, yea where lately you dwelled, where you have received ten thousand mercies, and have many a dear friend and Countryman and kinsman abiding, how could you but lament and mourn?  
War is the conflict of enemies enraged with bloody revenge, wherein the parties opposite carry their lives in their hands, every man turning prodigal of his very heart blood, and willing to be killed to kill. The instruments are clashing swords, rattling spears, skul-dividing Holbeards, murdering pieces, and thundering Cannons, from whose mouths proceed the fire and smell and smoke and terror and death, as it were, of the very bottomless pit. We wonder now and then at the sudden death of a man; alas, you might there see a thousand men not only healthy, but stout and strong, struck dead in the twinkling of an eye, their breath exhales without so much as, Lord have mercy upon us. Death heweth its way thorough a wood of men in a minute of time from the mouth of a murderer, turning a forest into a champion suddenly; and when it hath used these to slay their opposites, they are recompensed with the like death themselves. O the shrill care-piercing clangs of the trumpets, noise of drum's, the animating voices of Horse Captains and Commanders, learned and learning to destroy! 
job 39.19, 20, etc.  There is the undaunted horse whose neck is clothed with thunder, and the glory of whose nostrils is terrible; how doth he lie pawing and praunsing in the valley going forth to meet the armed men? he mocks at fear, swallowing the ground with fierceness and rage, and saying among the trumpets, Ha', Ha', he smells the battle a far off, the thunder of the Captains and the shouting. Here ride some dead men swagging in their deep saddles; there fall others alive upon their dead horses; death sends a message to those from the mouth of the Muskets, these it talks with face to face, and stabs them in the fist rib: In yonder file there is a man hath his arm struck off from his shoulder, another by him hath lost his leg; here stands a Soldier with half a face, there fights another upon his strumps, and at once both kills and is killed; not far off lies a company wallowing in their sweat and gore; such a man whilst he chargeth his Musket is discharged of his life, and falls upon his dead fellow. 
Isa. 9.6.  Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood. Death reigns in the field, and is sure to have the day which side soever falls. In the mean while (o formidable!) the infernal fiends follow the Camp to catch after the souls of rude nefarious soldiers (such as are commonly men of that calling) who fight themselves fearelesly into the mouth of hell for revenge, a booty, or a little revenue. How thick and threefold do they speed one another to destruction? A day of battle is a day of harvest for the devil.  
All this while, the poor wife and tender children sit weeping together at home, having taken their late farewell of the harnessed husband and father (o it was a sad parting if you had seen it!) never looking to see his face again, as indeed many and the most of them never do; for anon comes Ely's messenger from the Camp, saying, 
1 Sam. 4.17.  There is a great slanghter among the people, and your husband is dead, your father is dead, he was slain in an hot fight, he was shot dead in the place and never spoke a word more. Then the poor widow who fed yet upon a crumb of hope, tears her hair from her head, rends her , wrings her hands, lifts up her voice to heaven, and weeps like Rachel that would not be comforted, her children hang about her crying and saying, O my father is slain, my father is dead, I shall never see my father more; and so they cry and sob and sight out their afflicted souls, and break their hearts together. Alas, Alas! this is yet but War thorough a Crevise. Beloved, do but consider; There is many times fire without war, and famine and pestilence without war, but war is never without them: and there are many times robberies without war, and murdering of passengers, ravishing of matrons, deflowering of virgins, cruelties and torments and sometimes barbarous and inhuman practices without war, but war goes seldom or never without them.  
War, it is malum complexum, a compound of Judgements, 
Psal. 75.8.  amixt misery, the cup in the hand of the Lord, the wine whereof is red, and it is full of mixture. The wine is indeed as red as blood, and the ingredients are fire, famine, pestilence, murders, robberies, rapes, deflouring, cruelties, torments, with many other miseries. The voice of melody ceaseth, relations that were lately the comfort are now become the grief of the life of men; the high ways are unoccupyed, 
judges 5.6, 7, 11.  the travellers walk thorough by ways, the Inhabitants of the villages cease, and the noise of the Archers is heard in the places of drawing water. War, it is the immediate hand of such whose tenderest mercies are cruelties, 
2 Sam. 24.14.  commonly therefore the last of God's strokes upon them that will take no warning. But yet there is difference in wars; a war in the borders of an enemy is held better than a war in ones native Country; for commonly, the land that is as the garden of Eden before an enemy, 
Joel 2.3.  behind them is like a desolate Wilderness; and it is very woeful when people and land shall be wasted together. Or if it be war in our own and, yet a war against a foreign enemy invading, is far better than a civil war. It is grievous, but not admirable, to see an Egyptian and an Hebrew contending, but to see, as the Prophet saith, Egyptians against Egyptians, 
Isa. 19.2.  and every one fight against his brother, and against his neighbour, City against City, and Kingdom against Kingdom; or to see, as the same Prophet saith, Manasseh against Ephraim, 
Isa. 9.21.  and Ephraim against Manasseh, and both against Judah; O, this is both lamentable and wonderful! The mad Soldier in the heart of his blood, and the depth of his Atheism, may account it perhaps at first with Abner but a play, to see Israelites catching of Israelites by the beard, 
2 Sam. 2.14, 15, 16.  and thrusting their swords in one another's sides: but of all wars none so bloody, neither hath any play such bitterness in the end.  
It is a sad play, wherein not only men's goods and bodies and souls do commonly lie at stake, but wherein also even the very Conqueror is conquered, as one that played but for his own money, and at such a desperate play whose very gains are loosings. No wars so cruel, so unnatural, so desolating, as civil wars. You have heard, Beloved, of the dreadful German-warres; why, if there be any in our own Country this day, I may call them German-warres, because they are the wars of Germans, even the bloody contentions of brethren; and when relations turn opposites, nothing more opposite. A Kingdom at wars with a foreign enemy may stand, but a Kingdom divided against itself, can never; there can never be prosperity within Jerusalem's palaces, 
Psal. 122.7.  if first there be not peace within her walls. Unity and peace are a bond, 
Ephes. 4.3.  and where that is broken, there must needs follow dissolution.  
When the Philistines went beating down one another, 
1 Sam. 14.16.  the multitude (mark the word) melted away. A thing never consumes faster, than when it falls to melting: and how do such weaken themselves for an enemy without, and sight for the conquest of some foreign adversary? gedeon's men may stand still every man in his place, 
judg. 7.21.22.  so long as Midianites turn their swords against Midianites. 
2 Chron. 20.  Neither needs Jehosophat strike a stroke, when the Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites his enemies, lie in ambush one against another; first Moah and Ammon fight against Edom, and then Moah and Ammon one against another. And what was the issue of the eleven Tribes wars with their brother Benjamin, but lamentation, 
judge 21.2, 3, 6.  mourning and woe? And yet too among civil wars, 
— En quò discordia cives Perduxit miseros.  some are worse than other. I have read, I remember, in Lucan, of wars between Caesar and Pompey worse than civil: 
Bellaper Ematheosplusquam civilia campos.  and such especially are mutining wars, when there is little trust to either side, and friends are scarce known from foes, but all things are filled with conjurations, treacheries, distractions, factions, fears, suspicions, tumults, combustions, spoy ling, etc. The Lord be merciful to old England, as hitherto he hath been, yea more than to any Land this day under the Sun, which indeed heightneth its sins above the Sun, and makes it more sinful than any Land at this time in the whole world, insomuch, that we cannot but yield that there are no wars that England's sins have not deserved. Let us therefore fear the worst at this present in behalf of our dear Countrymen (considering also what ill tidings we have heard thence) that nothing, as we doubt, but a miracle of divine power and mercy can preserve them from the miseries of the devouring sword. I remember what the Auxiliaries of Egypt said in their distress, 
Jere. 46.16.  Arise, and let us go again unto our people, and to the Land of our Nativity from the oppressing sword; but if we were now under that misery, I doubt it would be in vain for us to say the like. But that which we are now called unto, is Brotherly Compassion, and to do the part of Jobs friends in my Text, to sit astonished, as at the crying sins, so at the feared sorrows of our Countrymen, for in all probability, their grief is very great.  
To this end, you may think a while upon these particulars.  
Of our civil relation to that Land, and the Inhabitants therein. There is no Land that claims our name, but England, we are distinguished from all the Nations in the world by the name of English. There is no Potentate breathing, that we call our dread Sovereign, but King CHARLES, nor Laws of any Land have civilised us, but England's; there is no Nation that calls us Countrymen, but the English. Brethren! Did we not there ●…aw in our first breath? Did not the Sun first shine there upon our heads? Did not that Land first bear us, even that pleasant Island, but for sin, I would say, that Garden of the Lord, that Paradise?  
Withal, let us think upon our natural relations to many in that Land. Some of you, I know, have Fathers and Mothers there, some of you have Brethren and Sisters, others of you have Uncles and Aunts there, and near kinsfolk. All these sitting in grief and sorrow, challenge our sympathise; and it is a fearful sin to be void of natural affections: 
Rom. 1.31.  nature wrought in Abraham, as well as grace, when his nephew Lot was taken captive by the four Kings. 
Gen. 14.   
But which is more, let us remember, how (for many of us) we stand in a spiritual relation to many, yea very many in that Land. The same thread of grace is spun thorough the hearts of all the godly under heaven. Such a one there, is thy spiritual Father, he begot thee in Christ Jesus thorough the Gospel; and there thou hast spiritual Brethren and Sisters and Mothers. 
Matth. 12.50.  O there is many a sweet, loving, humble, heavenly soul in that Land, in whose bosom Christ breathes by his blessed Spirit every day, and such as I hope we shall ever love at the remotest distance, were it from one end of the earth unto the other. Why, they are bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh in Christ, nearer by fare then friends, and kindred, oh let their sorrows be our sorrows, and their miseries ours.  
Besides these relations, civil, natural, spiritual, let us think upon the special ties and and engagements that many there have upon us. Among your friends there, whither natural or spiritual, there are, no doubt, some there, whom you prise above the rest. O if you could but see them, your souls would hardly stay within your bodies for running forth to meet them; At , you would strive to incorporate yourselves into them by the closest embraces. Alas, these now, perhaps, are weeping in their secret places, these are now sitting with Job among the ashes. If you could but see the expressions of their sorrows, and hear their present speeches and complaints, and how they, their wives, and little ones do sit and lament together, it may be some of them in expectation of daily death, and how they fast and pray, and afflict their souls, or how, peradventure, they wish themselves at this very instant with us; O you would weep and cry, and melt away into tears of sorrow.  
To this, add the Consideration of the many mercies, heaps of rich and precious mercies, twenty, yea thirty and forty year's mercies, and to some more, which we have there received; especially soul mercies. There the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus first shined forth unto thee; there first thou heardst his pleasant voice; there did his good Spirit first breathe upon thine heart; there didst thou first believe and repent, and amend thy lewd ways. And never was there a Land, I think, since Christ and his Apostles left the world, so richly blest in converts, or that ever brought forth such and so many worthies into the world. Yet there now (alas indeed, where sooner, when sin aboundeth?) doth Judgement begin to reign, as we may greatly fear.  
Or is it not meet that we should bear a partwith them in their sorrows, who have borne a part with them in their sins? Have we conferred so many sins as we have done to speed on their confusion, and shall we bestow no sorrow on them? Shall we not help to quench the fire with our tears, that we have kindled with our sins? O cruel! How know we but that the Lord is at this instant visiting our transgressions there acted, which polluted the Land? Beloved, did we not commit there ten thousand millions of sins and more amongst us during our abode there? There, O there, we played the ungodly Atheists, there it was we halted between God and Baal, swore by the Lord and by Malchom, were neither hot nor cold; there some of us blasphemed the dreadful name of the ever blessed God, polluted his Sabbaths, despised his messengers, contemned his holy ways, profaned and abused his mercies, and his good creatures, ran with others to the same excess of riot, etc. And how ever some may say, they have repent hereof, yet little do they know what evil examples they have left there behind to fill up the measure both of sin and wrath. If thy sins committed there be pardoned, yet thy sins sins may be punished, like as a Father may be spared, and yet his children executed.  
Thy sins; ôman, have begotten many sins there; there is many a formalist, and many a conformitant the more for thee, as indeed I fear there is for me. Alas, how have they kept on sinning upon our examples? Another's drunkennesses have begotten many a drunkard there, as another's spiritual cowardice many a Nicodemite, and another's lukewarmness many a Laodicean. Now, do we fear that the Lord is gone forth this day to call that Land to an account, and to visit for these and the like abominations, and is this nothing unto us? Shall men be slain for our sins, and we afford them no sorrow? What? shall the old Prophet in Bethel rise up in judgement against us? for when he had slain the man of God by his lying and dissembling to him, he yet mourned and lamented over him, 
1 King. 13.30.  saying, Alas my Brother. Ah my friends and brethren, let us do the like; our sins have slain, perhaps by this time, a little Army of men, what can we less than lament over them, saying, Alas, Alas, our Brethren. Surely, we in this Land have great cause to do as we do this day, if for no other respect, yet for this; for we have done enough and enough to overwhelm old England with the wrath of God; that our hearts at this time could be but over-shadowed with a cloud of sorrow!  
Again; let us suppose that things were even now turned end for end, and that we were this day in distress, and those our brethren in peace; I am confident, that they would condole with us, yea and pour out many a prayer for us: for they did as much, I know, when this Land lay sometimes under dearth, another time when the Indians rebelled, a third, when the monstrous opinions prevailed. And how have they always lissened after our welfare, ebbing and flowing in their affections with us? How do they (I mean all this while, multitudes of well affected persons there) talk of New-England with delight! How much nearer heaven do some of their charities account this Land, than any other place they hear of in the world? Such is their good opinion of us! How have some among them desired to die, if they might not be vouchsafed to live in this Land? And when sometimes a New-England man returns thither, how is he looked upon, looked after, received, entertained, the ground he walks upon beloved for his sake, and the house held the better where he is? how are his words lissened to, laid up, and related frequently when he is gone? neither is any love or kindness held too much for such a man.  
Neither let this be forgotten, that of all theChristian people this day in the world, we in this Land enjoy the greatest measure of peace and tranquillity. We have beaten our swords into ploughshares and our spears into pruning hooks, when others have beaten their pruning hooks into spears, and their ploughshares into sword. And now, as Moses said to the Reubenites and the Gadites, 
Numb. 32.6.  Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit still? So, shall our brethren go to war, and we sit still, and not so much as grieve with them? shall they be wounded with the sword and spear, and not we pierced so much as with brotherly sorrow? Surely then, if ever the LORD should bring the like hour of temptation upon us, as his people here have not been long hitherto without exercise, he might justly shut us out of the hearts of all our brethren in the world. And whereas too perhaps here and there one in our native Land, especially in their passions, may have had some transient thoughts, touching, it may be, some of us, as if the exorbitant spirit of John and James were in us, desirous that fire from heaven should fall upon them, as if, I mean, we would be glad to hear of Judgements upon our native Country (o cruel, and unnatural!) our fellow-feelings this day, I hope, shall wipe away all such prejudices. And truly, if God's Justice might be satisfied with that Lands amendment without one drop of blood, though we should shed store both of tears and blood to effect it, we would greatly rejoice, and soon turn this day of Humiliation into a day of gratulation, graise, and thanksgiving.  
What shall I say? If there should be any one heart here digged out of a Marpelian rock, let such an one remember, 
jere. 29.7.  lastly, that in the peace of that Land, we shall have peace, and therefore in the misery of that Land, we shall never be happy. You know, that God hath hitherto made that Land a blessing unto this; If Christ hath a Vine here, that Land hath as yet been the Elm that hath sustained it. Thence hath the Lord thus stocked this American part with such Worthies, there were they bred and nursed, thence hitherto have been our yearly supplies of men, and of many an useful commodity. If then they suffer, we may easily smart; if they sink, we are not likely to rise. And this, at least, may be a persuasive to a sordid mind, that will not be wrought upon by more ingenuous Arguments.  
The merciful God stir up all our affections, and give us that godly sympathy, which that Land deserveth at our hands, and teach us to express it upon all occasions of ill tidings coming to our ears from thence. Yea, let us sit at this time like old Ely upon the ways side, 
1 Sam. 4.  watching, as he did, for the Ark of the Lord, with a trembling hand and heart. And let us be every day confessing of our old England sins, of its high pride, Idolatry, superstition, blasphemies, blood, cruelties, Atheisms, etc. and let us never go to our secrets without our Censors in our hands for old England, dear England still in divers respects, left indeed by us in our persons, but never yet forsaken in our affections. The good God of Heaven, have mercy upon it, and upon all his dear people and servants in it, for Christ his sake, Amen.  
FINIS.