The Woe-Joy-Trumpet Sounding, Title page – Dedication
VAE-EUGE-TUBA. OR, The Wo-Ioy-Trumpet, Sounding the third and greateſt woe to the Antichriſtian world, but the firſt and laſt joy to the Church of the Saints upon Chriſts exaltation over the Kingdomes of the World.
UNFOLDED IN A SERMON before the Honourable Houſes of COMMONS aſſembled in Parliament, at their late ſolemne Faſt, May 26. 1647.
By G. HUGHES Miniſter of the Goſpell in Plymouth:
Publiſhed by Order of the Houſe.
PROV. 8.15.
By me Kings reigne, and Princes decree juſtice.
OBAD. V. 21.
The Kingdome ſhall be the Lords.
LONDON, Printed by E. G. for Iohn Rothwell at the Sunne and Fountaine in Pauls Church-yard. 1647:
Die Mercurii, Maii 26. 1647.
ORdered that Sir John Bampfyld doe from this Houſe give thanks to Maſter Hughes for the great paines he tooke in the Sermon he preached this day at the intreaty of this Houſe at St. Margarets Weſtminſter (it being the day of publique Humiliation) and to deſire him to print his Sermon: and he is to have the like priviledge in printing of it as others in the like kind uſually have had.
H Elſynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.
I doe appoint John Rothwell to print my Sermon.
George Hughes.
TO THE HONOURABLE THE Houſe of COMMONS now Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
Honourable and Renowned Patriots,
IT was a pretty Rhetoricall ſtraine of words, though ſcarce reaſonable (unleſſe as a Paradox may be made) with Moraliſts or Divines,foreign. Longin foreign To fall in great matters is a Generous and Noble ſinne. It is but a conceit, that the height of materials whereabout the ſlip was, ſhould innoble ſinne; Falſe coinage upon Lead will be as high Treaſon as that upon better mettall; and Treaſon upon Gold as baſe as that upon Braſſe.
In the Oracles of God, where we have words not inferiour to mens, but wiſdome and truth farre above them, We are thus taught, Slips in higheſt things are the greateſt faults, and a fall in Heaven fouler wickedneſſe than a ſtumbling on earth. Sinnes draw the higheſt aggravations from the Greatneſſe of God againſt whom, and the height of place wherein they are committed. The Angels which left their firſt ſtation, and man that ſinned in Paradiſe, have felt the truth of this. Zeale for God and you, and his Church, (moſt Noble Worthies) wil make his & your friends reckon little of their lives to keep you that are in Higheſt places from ſuch high tranſgreſſion. By the grace given to me, when I was called by you to ſpeak from God to you, & for you to God, in the day of your ſoules affliction, I had this in my greateſt deſires, to keepe you that are in higheſt places, and mannaging the higheſt matters of God, from ſinne againſt him. I therefore (as became a Miniſter of Chriſt) deſired to uſe all plainneſſe in ſetting out the Kingdome of our Lord, unto which all States muſt how that would be proſperous, and in pointing at ſuch ſinfull irregularities which render God an enemy irreconcileable, and ſuch States thereby eternally miſerable. In all which (the Judge of ſpirits knows) I intended not either by matter or form of ſpeech to be ſpatter ſuch an Honourable Judicatory with falſe charges, or make a Parliament vile among the people; (I have learned better of Chriſt by Gods grace) my aime was onelyonly to be a faithfull Remembrancer of you from God, of the fatall diſeaſes whereunto ſuch Politique Bodies may be ſubject, in their members; that a timely care may be had of purging your ſelves, leaſt death enſue.
I hope your hearts are as willing to beare ſuch plainneſſe, as God would have them in commanding it. Never was there a more fatall character upon the State of Iſrael, then that bitter ſpeech of Idolatrous Amaziah to Ieroboam againſt honeſt Amos, The Land is not able to bear his words. Amos 7.10.When States cannot beare ſound words from God, ſpoken in his Name; or not ſo beare them, as obediently to anſwer Gods mind in them, the doom of Elies ſonnes will cleave to them.1 Sam. 2.25. The God of all grace keepe off ſuch a curſe of an Impatient hardned ſpirit from you, and give you the bleſſing of a boared eare, and a ſoftyeelding-obedient heart, ſo ſhall ye proſper.
Ʋpon your Order of acceptance of theſe poore labours, and for publiſhing the ſame, I have been obedient to your deſire; and now in all humble duty and thankefulneſſe doe preſent that to your eyes, of which your eares have taſted; I have made a few additions for clearing ſome paſſages which ſtraits of time then ſhut out; I hope none will be looſers by them. The height of my ambition is,2 Cor 3.3. that by this Inke-worke the Spirit of the living God would write the Name of the Lord and his Chriſt upon this Parliament, and upon the people of the Land; that ye may be the Lords State, ruling for Chriſt, and he in you, as one Party; and they the Lords people, the lot of his Inheritance.
And now having done my worke with you, I ſhall by the good will of our God returne to my place, and there labour for you, to helpe on the work of Righteouſneſſe, Truth, and Peace, in your hands. My ſuit to the Thron of grace is and ſhall be the Averſion of all thoſe Woes ſounded by this Trumpet upon the wicked, and the Accompliſhment of all thoſe Woes ſounded to the Church; that Chriſt may be fully exalted in theſe united Kingdoms and reign, that the Churches of the Saints alſo may ſing, and alwaies rejoyce in their Lord, whoſe theſe Kingdomes are; and all in your daies, and by your power mannaged graciouſly in the band of our Lord. By whoſe command I muſt ſigne my ſelfe,
Your Honours moſt humble and faithfull ſervant in the Kingdom of Chriſt, GEORGE HUGHES.