Abrahams Interment, Frontispiece – Dedication
John La Motte Esq ▪ Cittizen of London: borne j. May 1577, and Deceased July 13, 1655.
Abrahams Interment: OR The good Old-mans Buriall in a good Old Age.
Opened in a Sermon, At Bartholomews Exchange, July 24. 1655. at the Funerall of the Worshipfull John Lamotte Esq Sometimes Alderman of the City of London.
By FULK BELLERS M.A. Preacher of the Gospell.
Unto which is added a short Narrative of his Life and Death.
2 KIN. 20.1.
Set thy house in order, for thou shall dye and not live.
JOB 21.22.
Acquaint thy self now with God, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee.
LONDON: Printed by R. I. for Tho. Newberry, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the three Golden Lyons in Corn-hill. 1656.
TO THE Right VVorshipfull, the truely Religious, THE Lady Hester Honywood. AND To her most hopefull Nephew Mr. Maurice Abbot, of the Inner Temple.
Daughter, & Grand-son, Co-heires of John Lamotte Esq &c.
Much honoured,
THe sweetnesse of Communion with God (whereby Saints taste and see how good the Lord is) is more clearly discerned by their own personall experience, than can be declared by any verball expressions. This was the highest pitch of Adams happinesse, during his estate of concreated integrity, that hee was admitted to the enjoyment of this grand priviledge; what is it then for any of his fallen Off-spring, to be restored to this great exaltation? And yet we know that Beleevers, by faith in Christ, are reinstated in this advancement, and are many times inabled to say, and that feelingly,foreign. 1 Joh. 1.3. truly our fellowshp, (or our Communion) is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. This is the Heaven of Heavens, to Saints Triumphant, and Heaven here on this side Heaven, to Saints Militant, Expectants of Heaven hereafter.
Vnutterable is the Contentment that man finds sometimes in his Cordiall acquaintance, with an Antient, Fast and Religious Friend, to whom he may freely, and fully unbosome himself, and from whom he may receive suitable, and seasonable advice, with all candor and faithfullnesse, upon all occasions. Now if words cannot to the life hold out that satisfaction that man findeth in his converse with man, like unto himself, is it any wonder, if I am not able fully to display that heart-ravishing delight, which the renewed soul meeteth withall, whilest it nourisheth humble and holy Communion with God, the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity? It is agreed on by all, that holy familiarity with him is full of spirituall solace; though all my language be too short, compleatly to describe before you, how satisfactory and contentfull it is. How sweet are those holy Parlies with God in praier, and how pleasant their returns? far pleasanter to a gracious, than the returns of ships (richly laden with rarest Commodities) to a Carnall heart; how delightfull are the droppings of the Sanctuary, whereby the souls of Saints become as watered Gardens, as so many Edens, and whereby they come to hear of joy and gladnesse, so that the bones which God at any time hath broken begin to rejoice?
How ensuring are the Incomes of the Spirit, in that sealing Ordinance of the Lords Supper, wherein the truely penitent and beleeving Soul, looking up to Christ, (by the Eye of Faith) whom hee hath peirced, and being in heavinesse for him, &c. receives the pledge of the Remission of his sins, and of all other Covenant-Mercies, which more exhilerates him with heart reviving joy, then the sight of a Pardon doth, a condemned Malefactor?
It was upon this account that the heart of David was filled with such Pantings, as the Hart after the waterbrooks, to come and appear before God in soul-reviving Ordinances, and that Marquesse of Vico Galeatius that eminent Confessor, when offered Golden Mountains of Honours, and Riches, how resolutely did he reply, their mony perish with them that think all the honours of Italy, &c. to be worth one hours Communion with God at Geneva, a place wherein Religion flourished. Now how abundant that worthy and experimentall Christian was (to whom you owe your extraction, as branches to their root) in nourishing communion with God, and how sweet hee found it, both in his life, and at his death, I need not relate to you in speciall, who were full well acquainted with the manner of his holy Conversation in his Life, and of his comfortable departure at his end. My sute to you is
Honoured Lady,
Who have made such Eminent progresse in Grace, Labor yet more and more to imitate your deceased Father, in walking in all the waies of holiest Communion with God, treading dayly in his steps of Soul resignation, Faith, Patience, Charity, Zeal, and all other Christian graces, whereof he left an exemplary Copy to you and your hopefull Issue to write after. I need not suggest that it is constancy which is the Crowning grace.
Honoured Sir,
Though you have attained as yet to a little more than a fourth of the days that your Indulgent Grand-Father arrived at, yet hee hath left you, as a Coheir of his Estate, so I hope of his graces also; strive therefore that hee may in all his soul-adorning endowments, live in you, that as hee (and many others) looked upon you with a hopefull eye, whilest hee lived, so the world may see you more and more, to answer all those blooming hopes, now he is removed from you.
To conclude, my humble addresse to you both is, that you would be mindfull of all the holy Counsells and savory advertisements wherein he abounded towards you, and among others those that he communicated to you frequently by his letters, and forget not that Letter (added unto his life) whereby being dead he yet speaketh to you, and then doubt not, but there will bee a full return into your bosomes, of all the prayers which he so fervently and frequently darted up to Heaven in your behalfs, which is the perswasion
Of your Worships much Obliged in the Lord. FULK BELLERS. Decemb. 24. 1655.