The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without…

4. Let Sinners sadly Consider Whom they Gratify, and whom they grieve by delaying their Conversion. They please their greatest enemy, and displease their best Friend. You cannot gratify your Adversary the Devil more: who is it that saith to you, Wilt thou think of turning from thy sins? it will be soon enough for that hereafter. No one but the Devil or such as are stirred up by him, will suggest such a ⟨p. 52⟩thought unto thee. He knoweth that if he can but persuade thee to delay thy Conversion a while longer, he shall make sure of thy soul. He always tells sinners either that it is too soon for them to turn unto God, or else that it is too late. If he should see thee in earnest about that matter, he would say it is too late now: But as long as thou art careless about it, he says it is too soon; thereby hoping to persuade thee to delay until it be too late indeed, and then he will deride thee for thy Folly. So that if a man would study to gratify the Devil, he could not do it more than by Deferring his repentance. But then, whom do you grieve thereby? All the good men that know thee are grieved for thee: thy nearest Relations are so if they fear God. It may be thou hast a Godly Father, or a godly Mother: They are grieved to see that thou dost continue still in thy natural unconverted estate. And the Angels of Heaven are grieved by thee. There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repents, Luk. 15.10. So that Sinners who delay their Repentance hinder the joy of Angels. And that which is yet sadder is, thou grievest the heart of God by thy delaying to turn again from thy evil way. The Lord (to speak of Him after the manner of men) thinks the time long, and ⟨p. 53⟩is grieved that thou shouldst slight his Calls, and disregard his Commands for so long a time. He saith, Wash thine heart from wickedness, — how long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee? Jer. 4.14. And again wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? Chapt. 13.27. Yet again, hear another Scripture, How long will it be, ere they attain to innocency? Hos. 8.5. How long! When? How long? The Spirit of God is grieved by thy long delays. He looketh upon thy Delays as Refusals and flat Denials. He saith thou art unwilling to return, and that, that's the reason of thy delaying so long. This must needs grieve and provoke Him.