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

3. Such persons are in danger of being Judicially given up to everlasting unfruitfulness This is the Curse here spoken of. That ground which is barren, is called Cursed earth, Job 24.18. hence such are said to be ⟨p. 73⟩rejected. That which is execrable and An athematized, is forsaken, even so such sinners are forsaken of God for ever. The Lord doth never punish sin more dreadfully, than when he doth punish sin with it self. So it is here, the Lord by a Judicial act doth punish sin with sin: This was their sin (saith God) that they were unfruitful under fruitful means; and therefore this shall be their punishment, they would not profit by what they did enjoy, and therefore this shall be their plague, they shall be given up to everlasting barrenness of Soul. There is an awful Scripture to this purpose, which we shall a little open to you as we go along; it is that Ezek. 47.11. The miry places, and the Marishes, shall not be healed, they shall be given to salt. By miry places, are meant such earth as that which my Text speaks of. In miry places, the water and the earth mix together, the water hath not a free passage, but stands and corrupts there; even so when the waters of the Sanctuary, that is, the Doctrine of the Gospel hath not a free passage through the hearts of men, but the Word cometh to the ear, and there it stops, and doth not run through their hearts and lives, but the Word mixed with ⟨p. 74⟩the corruptions of men, that they can hear Sermons, and keep their lusts too, these now are miry places. Observe then the judgement of God upon them, they shall not be healed; that is to say, they shall never be converted. They would not be converted, this was their sin; therefore they shall not be converted, this shall be their punishment, but they shall be given to salt,; that is to barrenness of Soul. Salt signifieth Barrenness, Deu. 29.23. it's said the land was salt; i. e. Barren. Thus then are unfruitful Hearers of the Word in danger of being judicially given up by God to everlasting Barrenness of Soul: Therefore when Christ saw a figtree, and found nothing on it but leaves only, he said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee hence forward and forever,