Noahs Dove, Title page – To the reader
NOAHS DOVE, OR, Tydings of Peace to the godly.
A comfortable Sermon preached at a Funerall.
By Samuel Smith Miniſter of Gods word at Prittlewel in Eſſex.
PSAL. 34.19. Many are the troubles of the righteous, But the Lord deliuereth him out of them all.
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes, and are to be ſold by Thomas Archer. 1619.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
CHriſtian Reader, as it hath euer bin the practice of wicked men to make their proſperity an argument of Gods fauour, reaſoning after this manner: Is it likely that I ſhould inioy ſo many bleſsings from God if my conuerſation were not pleaſing in his ſight, &c.Eccl. 9.2. Not conſidering that theſe common gifts are giuen alike both to the godly man and to the ſinner: And that Eſau though he was a man hated of God, yet enioyed the fatneſſe of the earth as well as Iacob.Rom. 9.2.
So the children of God beholding the outward proſperity of the wicked, and their owne miſerable condition here in this life, hauehave hereby beene much troubled; and hauehave beene moued to call Gods Iudgements into queſtion, how it could ſtand with his Iuſtice that wicked men ſhould ſo abound in wealth that Rebelliouſly tranſgreſſe. Ier. 12 1. Pſal. 37.This prooued a ſore temptation vntounto Dauid, inſomuch that he confeſſed that his ſteps had wel-nigh ſlipt. Pſal. 73.2.And the ſame thing perplexed the Prophet Ieremie that hee was bold euen to reaſon the caſe with God, ſaying;Ier. 12.1 Wherefore doth the way of the wicked proſper, & why are they in wealth that rebelliouſly tranſgreſſe? Many of Gods ſeruants are not a little affected herewith, not vnderſtāding the reaſon, how the Lord will not ſuffer his children in this life to goe vnchaſtiſed for their ſinnes, but thereby brings them to a greater meaſure of humiliation: As for the wicked, the Prophet aſsigneth a reaſon of their proſperity, namely this,Ier. 12, 3. That thou maieſt pull them out like beaſts for the ſlaughter, and prepare them for the day of Deſtruction. This truth is moſt cleerely ſet downe in the ſeauen and thirty Pſalme, a portion whereof I hauehave handled in the Sermon following, my deſire herein is to comfort Gods people, that notwithſtanding their preſent condition may ſeeme to bee miſerable, yet the Lord doth euer vpholde his in time of greateſt danger, and of this they ſhall be ſure, that their later end ſhal be peace. I wiſh thee comfort by it, and by all other holy helpes. And ſo remayne
Thine in eueryevery Chriſtian office, Samuel Smith. Prittlewel, this 8. of April, 1619.