The Great Concern, Frontispiece – Publishers advertisement
Sereniſsima Anna D: G: Ang: SccE Fran: et Hiber Reg: Fidei Defencor.
Printed & Sold by N. Boddington at the Golden Ball in Duck Lane.
The Great Concern, OR A SERIOUS WARNING to a Timely and Thorough PREPARATION FOR DEATH; With Helps and Directions in order thereunto.
By EDWARD PEARSE; Being the laſt that ever he preached.
John 9.4.
I muſt work the works of him that ſent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work.
The Third Edition, recommended as proper for Funerals.
LONDON, Printed for J. Robinſon, at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard; and B. Aylmer at the three Pigeons in Cornhil, 1674.
TO THE READER.
Reader,
IF thou art one, who indeed liveſt in the belief of a future Life, an Eternity of happineſs or miſery, when time and days ſhall be more, I am confident the enſuing Diſcourſe will be grateful and welcom to thee: I make no Apology for its plainneſs, nor am I at all ſolicitous touching the cenſures I may fall under for publiſhing of it: If thou wilt read it with an upright heart, I queſtion not, but through a bleſſing from above, it may do thy Soul good; ſure I am, thou wilt find the Argument moſt weighty, and the Concern thereof moſt important: and woe be to that ſoul which miſſeth the deſign it tends to, and aims at. When men come to die, and do find themſelves launching forth into the vaſt Ocean of Eternity, at leaſt when once they find themſelves incircled in that Ocean, (which quickly they do, when once Death makes its approach) then they ſee that their great intereſt lay beyond this poor, vain, periſhing World, and the things thereof; then they ſee that their Great Concern was to have look'd and liv'd beyond time and days, and have made proviſion for an Eternal ſtate: but alas! alas! then 'tis too late, too late: then they cry out, O Eternity, Eternity! O miſerable ſouls that we are! how did ſin and the world blind and bewitch us, that we could not ere now, when 'tis too late, ſee the weight of an Eternal Intereſt! O blind and bruitiſh Creatures, that were taken with carnal and ſenſual things, things pleaſing only to a ſenſual appetite; and forgot God, the chief Good, the things of Heaven, and a bleſſed Eternity, which would have made us happy for ever: Now to prevent theſe doleful lamentations, and ſuch a diſmal and remedileſs ſhipwrack of Eternal Souls, as alſo to ſhew them the path of Life, and to engage them to make ſure of a bleſſed Eternity, while time and days laſt, is the deſign of the enſuing diſcourſe, and of the dying Author in it. And the Lord, the God of all Grace, proſper it in order thereunto. God has kept me for a full half year by the Graves ſide; one while lifting me up, then caſting me down, and now he ſeems to be ſpeedily finiſhing my days: to whom, through the infinite riches of free Grace, I can with ſome comfort and boldneſs ſay; Come, Lord Jeſus, come quickly, Amen. And now farewel vain World, farewel Friends and Relations, farewel eating and drinking, and bleſſed be God, farewel ſin and ſinning: within a few days I ſhall ſin no more, nor ever be in a poſſibility of ſinning; but ſhall be like my Lord, and ſhall ſee him as he is: And laſtly, farewel Reader.
E. P.
READER,
THe firſt Impreſſion of this Book was ſo well entertained among Miniſters and others, and wrought ſuch good effects, that the news thereof did very much rejoyce the Reverend Authour upon his Death-bed, inſomuch that be had an intent to give order for a good number to be given (judging it the fitteſt preſent) at his Funeral: but being told there was not a ſufficient number to gratifie the many thouſands that would attend him to the Grave, that good intention was prevented. Since his death ſome pious perſons have thought fit (conſidering the ſuitableneſs of the ſubject) to beſtow many of theſe at Buryals, inſtead of Rings, Gloves, Biſkets, Wine, &c, (Reading and Meditation much more beautifying ſuch Solemnities than eating and drinking, &c.) and have already found this way very inſtrumental to make people ſerious on ſuch ſad occaſions: Wherefore this good deſign is by the Generality of Miniſters and others recommended to all that are deſirous to mind their own Great Concern, and to excite others to A Timely and thorough preparation for Death.
R. A.
The Author hath two other Treatiſes, viz.
1. The Beſt Match, or the Souls eſpouſal to Chriſt.
2. A Beam of the Divine Glory, or the unchangeableneſs of God opened.
THE Great Concern; OR, A PREPARATION FOR DEATH.
Pſalm 39.13.
O ſpare me that I may recover ſtrength; before I go hence, and be no more.