(2) We beseech you in Christ’s stead, to accept of him; for, we dare say, he is worthy of your acceptance, worthy for whom ye should do this thing. He is the “only begotten of the Father,” and is possessed of all the glorious perfections of the Father; he is the “express image of his person,” the “the image of the invisible God.” And as upon account of his personal excellencies, so upon account of the good offices he has done you, he deserves good treatment at your hand. He has honored your nature, by joining it to his own, in a glorious and mystical personal union. He has given the most pregnant proof of matchless love to lost sinners: he left the Father’s bosom, to bring them there; he died, that they might live; he suffered, that they might be saved. In a word, all the perfections of the divine nature, all the perfections of yore own, all the wounds, every drop of blood of the crucified Savior of the world, all the tears shed, all the drops of blood in his agonies did sweat for the relief of poor sinners; all cry with one voice, “Sinners, we beseech you, believe on the Lord Jesus.” Can you refuse what is craved by such a one?
(3) We pray you, by the “mercies of God,” in the “bowels of our Lord Jesus,” believe on him, accept of him; for his heart is upon this request. Nothing more acceptable to him, than a compliance with this call; he laid the foundation of this offer we make to you, in his own blood; he wept at sinner’s folly, that would not comply with it; he has instituted a gospel ministry for this very end, and has been, if I may so speak, at a vast expense of gifts and grace for the maintenance of this his own ordinance. He has given them most peremptory orders, to call you, to beseech you, to command, to threaten, nay, to compel you to a compliance. Will ye refuse our Master that request he has so much at heart?
(4) We beseech you, accept of him now, grant our request, as ye would have yours granted by him, at that day when ye shall be obliged to supplicate him, standing before his bar, as panels before the Judge of all the earth. None shall have their request granted in that day, who will not grant ours now. Will ye not then hear our Master now?
(5) We beseech you, in the name of all the glorious Trinity, to grant our demands. We are ambassadors for Christ, and God doth beseech you by us. God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, do all join in the supplication. Never were there such three names at a supplication, never such three hands at a petition. O sinners! what hearts have ye, if ye can refuse the desire, the supplication, the entreaties of a whole Trinity? All the love of the Father, all the grace of the Son, and all the blessings that are enjoyed by communion with the Holy Ghost, all plead with you for your compliance. Can ye refuse us, then, O sinners, O rocks, O hearts harder than rocks?
(6) Once more, we beseech you, be ye reconciled to God, accept of, and believe on our Lord Jesus Christ; for we assure you, in our great Master’s name, he is no ordinary supplicant. He never came with such a supplication to the fallen angels; he never came with it to many nations of the world, who would, we make no doubt, welcome it, if they new it, and had it. Kings are not ordinary petitioners, and therefore it is no wonder they take ill with a repulse.
Now, O sinners! what answer shall we give to him that sent us? what return shall we give to our Master? Shall we say, that we came to the congregation of Ceres, that we showed his commission, told our errand, in his name supplicated for a compliance with his demand? But that ye would not hear him, though we besought you in his name, by all the ties of reason, self-preservation, interest, and gratitude, by the glorious work of Christ, by all the marks of his love to mankind, by all his concern for sinners; that we had a whole Trinity seconding us, and that we met with a refusal? Are ye willing that we take witness upon this refusal, and, in our Master’s name, protest that this our reasonable, nay, advantageous request, was refused? It is a wonder that ever the commands of God should be disobeyed; but it is yet a greater, that ever the request, the entreaty of a God should be denied. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, God beseeching! and man refusing!
Thomas Halyburton, The Great Concern of Salvation, (Philadelphia: Printed by William Marshall, 1801), 280-281.