ing with
God is sometimes heightened, was taken from _the meanness of such as
attempt the work_. When the great ones, the nobles that are called _the
shields of the earth_, do not afford their authority and patrociny, as
an encouragement to the undertaking; and when the wise and learned will
not employ their learning, parts, and abilities for the facilitating
thereof; but the mean and weakest are left to do the work alone. This
was no small difficulty and discouragement to the Tekoites, in their
building and repairing the wall of Jerusalem, "That their nobles put not
their necks to the work of their Lord." Neh. iii. 5.

A _sixth_ consideration, which may sometimes render such a work hard and
difficult, was drawn from _the want of the concurrence of civil
authority; and the opposition made thereunto by the laws of the land_;
which, when it happens to be the case of a people designing to renew
national engagements cannot but be a very difficult and discouraging
ingredient amongst others in their cup.

On the other hand, these counterbalancing considerations were adduced,
which are as so many props and pillars to support his people, and to
allay the difficulties of the duty of entering into covenant with God,
and to make it the more light and easy. 1st, _That the work is the
Lord's_, and he is greatly concerned in it; and, therefore, his people
may safely lean to him for help, he having enacted no law against it, as
men have. 2d, That _he looks not upon his people in such undertakings,
as in themselves_, for then it were impossible for creatures, having
the least sinful imperfection in them, to covenant with their spotless
Creator, and come so near a jealous God, who is a consuming fire to the
workers of iniquity; _but he considers his people in their covenanting
with him, as in their head, Christ, his eternal Son_; whence we may
safely say, That our national covenant wants not a Mediator more than
the covenant of grace, in this sense, as it is through him we have
access to make this covenant with God. 3d, That _the Lord has promised
his presence to his own work_; thus we find through the whole of the
covenants made, and renewed by the people of Israel and Judah, that the
Lord discovered his gracious presence with them, by some remarkable
effect of his goodness. Thus it is remarked of Hezekiah, that after he
had entered into covenant, "That the Lord was with him, and he prospered
whithersoever he went forth," 2 Kings xvii