Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…

The first word that I would say to you is this, for that little time which I shall continue with you, let me have the help of your fervent and constant Prayers. I believe you will all acknowledge, that my closing with your desires (which I withstood for divers years ⟨p. x⟩together) in coming under that dreadful bond of Office-Relation, was the return and answer of your Prayers, yea of your extraordinary Seekings unto God about that matter; and I doubt not but you will all lay, that my being delivered from so great a death as that which above two years ago I was under the Sentence of, is also an Evidence that God hath heard your Prayers: Now then the experience of the power which your Prayers have with God as it doth encourage me to desire them, so let it engage you to continue them. See then (for it is your duty so to do) that whenever you fall upon your knees in your Closets to pray for your own Souls, that you bear me upon your hearts and make particular mention of my poor name before the Lord: what shall I say unto you? I might tell you that equity requireth this at your hands; for God is witness, and day and night seeth it, that I am mindful of you before the throne of grace, and that almost in every Prayer of mine. And I might say to you, that if you grant my request herein the benefit will be your own, All things are yours; my Gifts (such weak ones as they are) my Time, my Studies, all of them are yours, who are my dearly beloved, and your Salvation longed for. If Christ fill me, I shall be the better able to give out to you. The more of the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit that a Minister doth ⟨p. xi⟩receive from above, the better it is for them that wait upon his Ministry. Therefore deny me not if you expect your own Spiritual Welfare. But I will say moreover, that I need your Prayers; and therefore let me have them. You see and cannot but be sensible of the state of the Lord's poor New-England People; Our Prophets and our Fathers where are they? It is sad, but so it is, New-England hath of late been a grave of God's Ambassadors. Therefore those few that yet survive, need so much the more the help of the Prayers of God's praying people; Pauls are departed, pray then for Timothies, Daniels are gone to rest, pray then for Haggai's and Zacharies, that do succeed;