AN ALARM FROM HEAVEN, OR, A MEMENTO TO The great Council, and Magistrates of England, now sitting on the Seat of Justice.  
By G. W. a cordial lover of the peace of England.  Deut. 12. 
You shall not do what seemeth good in your own eyes, but what the LORD hath commanded you for the good of His People.  Psalm. 2.12. 
Embrace the Son, lest He be angry, and so you perish from the right way.  
Imprinted at London, for G. Wharton, MDCXLIX.   

AN ALARM FROM HEAVEN OR, A Memento to the Magistrates of England, concerning their proceed in Justice and Government.  
Endeared Countrymen of England,  
IT is the saying of the divine Psalmist and many other excellent Authors do avouch it, That no Power, Potentate, nor Council, who are elected as Representatives of the people, for the Government of a Nation, can rule or govern rightly, that loveth not to judge which and that they betray their trust and usurp a power, which pealeth partially: For we must remember, that they measured salomon's worthiness to reign, by his well swaying of the Sceptre; the which, Solomon could not have handled so well as he did, if he had not been carried away with an earnest desire to deal indiferently, and to judge impartially, as appeareth in the most excellent demonstration and prayer, which transcended from him, unto the Almighty Jehovah of Heaven, when he saith, Give unto thy servant, O Lord an understanding and a wise heart, to judge thy people, that I may discern betwixt good and evil, 2 King. 3. And when he had prayed for wisdom and understanding, he showeth whereunto he would apply those good gifts of God, even unto the glory of him that gave them, To judge the people, that I may discern betwixt good and evil saith he) Prov. 8.15. for by him Kings reign, and by him Magistrates decree Justice; which, that it may be duly executed within the Territories of our English Nation, let the people make choice of such faithful patriots, as are here prescribed and set down in this ensuing parable of Jethro, viz.  
When Jethro the Father in law of Moses came out of the Land Midian to see him, being at the Mount of God, which was Mount Sinai, and beheld how the people cried to Moses (their Governor) for Judgement and Justice by due consideration thereof, Jethro found these three inconveniencies, viz.  
First, That Moses wearied himself with (sitting in judgement from morning to night.  
Secondly, That he was too tedious unto the people, which attended upon him in all that time.  
And thirdly, that notwithstanding his carefulness in judgement, and their earnest expectation of Justice, he was not able to dispatch so many matters as were brought before him, but with a slight hearing, and little regarding of many men's causes.  
Wherefore, Jethro being a man very desirous that Justice might proceed, that not men's matters might be slightly slipped over, counselled Moses to make more Magistrates and Rulers in Israel; and to the end, that this might with more facile be prosecuted, Jethro prescribes a way, and points at the disposition of those men which should bear Rule: For (saith he) Thou shalt choose out amongst all the people, men of courage, dealing truly, serving God, and hating covetousness, and them shalt thou make Governors over the people, Exod. 18 21.  
Even such Magistrates and Rulers doth the Commonwealth of England stand in need of, whose Government desireth men of courage, faithfulness, and impartiality; and seeing that her Governors are nominated and appointed, and a Rule is set down for the people to walk by, God grant, that they may follow the example of Jethro, to deal truly, act justly, execute impartially, and redress the grievances of the people, and not to rule as the Council of Macedonia did, who upon the humble address and representation of a poor Widow, purporting her sad and deplorable condition, they rejected her, and cast her off with this slender answer, Go thy way, for we have no leisure to hear thee now.  
The woman being much grieved thereat, replied thus; Thus why have you liesure to be Rulers and Magistrates.  
And therefore, if the Council of England, proceed and continue in their ways of impartiality, acting justly, and detesting all by ends, and self-interests, this Nation will have cause to rejoice; if they desist from so doing, her joy and tranquillity will be frustrated and eclipsed.  
O remember what God said unto Israel, You shall not do what seemeth good in your own eyes, but what I command you to do, saith the Lord.  
Then know, that you do not that which he hath commanded, if you deal not with mercy and truth, by judging every man's cause aright. It was a worthy commendation, that David uttered in the praise of jerusalem, when he said, There is the Seat for judgement, the which appointing of that Seat for Judgement, was an argument, that they loved the true executing of Justice.  
And first, the place where it was set assureth us hereof, for it was set in the Gate, where through men might have passage to and from the Judgement Seat.  
Secondly, the manner of framing the Seat in the Gate; namely, that the Judges and Council might sit with their faces towards the rising of the Sun, in token that their judgement should be as pure from corruption, as the Sun was clear in his chiefest brightness and splendour.  
O happy Common wealth of England, art thou, who can say with Jerusalem, that thy Justice Seat is not putrified with corruption.  
And whereas God standeth in the Parliaments of Princes, so is he a Judge amongst Gods, to give all Magistrates a Memento, that God is present in all their assemblies, and judgeth them that judge under him, whereof they had need to be put in mind: for oftentimes Micheas proveth too true a prophet, in saying that the great man will seek what his heart desireth, and the people must allow it well: of the which sort of men, the very best is but a thistle, which a man can hardly touch unpricked, and the most just like a bramble, whereunto the silly sheep seeking to be shrouded from sharp showers, is often forced to leave his fleece behind: whose unworthy coming to their places, Jon ham hath well described in the person of Abimelich, when he said, The trees of the wood went to anoint a King over them, and said unto the Olive tree, reign thou over Us: but the Olive tree answered, shall I leave my fatness, which both God and Men praise in me, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then they came to the Fig tree, and said, Come thou and reign over us: the fig tree answered, shall I leave my sweetness and good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? They said unto the Vane, reign thou over us: but the Vine answered, should I leave the Wine wherewith I cheer the Sons of men, to be promoted over the trees? Then they said unto the Bramble, wilt thou reign over us? Then said the Bramble, if it be true indeed that you will submit yourselves to my authority, and put your trust under my shadow; or else, fire proceed from the Bramble and consume you.  
By this Parable we are taught generally, that every man is to be content with that estate wherein God hath placed him, and that for the most part the very best-worthy do refuse proffered promotion, and on their part well deserved: whereas on the contrary, the most unfitly furnished with Justice and true Judgement, and the least deserving in a commonwealth, are of all other most ambitions.  
And it is to be feared, that many will rise through their wicked practices, and subtle stratagems, both in this Nation, and parts adjacent, to disturb the peace of our Israel; But God grant that they prove not like to those, whom Zephaniah, feared not to liken to Lions and Wolves, who finding their proy in the evening, chop up all, not leaving so much as the bones until the morning.  
Another Memento is, That the civil Magistrate who beareth the sword is called the Minister of God, as well as the spiritual Magistrate that teacheth the Word: and that no doubt, to the intent he might take care to maintain true Religion as to minister deserved Discipline. For it standeth with all divine and humane reason, that if all masters and fathers ought to have a more than ordinary care to instruct and help forward their families in Christian Religion, so much as in them lieth: much more ought the Magistrate to mediate by all means prossible to perform his duty therein, who is a father over all families. I cannot set this forth in any plainer demonstration, than David hath done in this short saying, Embrace the son, lest he be angry, and so you perish from the right way. By which speech the Prophet teacheth, that God cannot be honoured by any other means, than by that which Christ his Son hath taught, and that if you worship not the Son as he hath commanded, than you dishonour him; if you dishonour him, than you anger him; if you anger him, he casteth you off; if he casteth you off, than you are from the right way; and if you are from the right way, than you perish. For the avoiding whereof, all Godly Magitrates have had a special care to meditate in the Law of the Lord: such were Moses josua, David, Solomon, and others. Of whose good example, God grant, that the Magistrates of England may make use thereof.  
Vale, G. W.  
Imprimatur,  
Theo: Jennings.  
FINIS.