I am with you, saith
the Lord of hosts." If God be with a work, who is he that will let or
impede it? God is with this work of reformation, as ye yourselves can
witness; and by all our expectations this mountain is shaken, and (God
be praised) the difficulties are not so unpassable as they were.

2. No man is able to impede this work, in respect of the workers. It is
said, "that God stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, and of Joshua, and
of the people, and they came and wrought in the house of the Lord." When
God stirs up men to do a good work, nothing on earth can stay it: I am
sure if ever God stirred up men to a good work, He hath stirred us up to
this, both noblemen, ministers and people. Wherefore, "Who art thou, O
great mountain" before God's people, that thinks to impede such a work?

3. In respect of the impeders: what are they but men, and wicked men, as
ye may see in the adversaries of the Jews. Who are they that impede our
work? Even men that seek honour and preferment of this world, enemies to
religion, fighting against God; to whom, I may say that word in Job,
"Who hath hardened himself against God, and prospered?" With one word
more I will reprove this mountain, and go forward.

"Who art thou, O great mountain?" Wilt thou search thyself who thou art:
art thou of God's building or not? I trow you are not _juris divini_,
but _humani_; God nor Christ hath never built thee: thou art only a hill
of man's erecting; knowest thou not that Zion, against which thou art,
is a hill of God's building. I will say to you then that word, "The hill
of God is a high hill, as the hill of Bashan: why leap ye, ye hills?
This is the hill that God desireth to dwell in; yea, and will dwell in
it forever." And think ye to prevail against the people of Zion? She
hath stronger mountains to guard her than ye have, "As the mountains are
round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people, from
henceforth and forever."

3. The third thing in this mountain, is, It is a mountain removed,
"Thou shalt become a plain;" that is, God shall remove all impediments
before Zerubbabel, and his people; God is able to remove all that
impedes His work; even the mightiest enemies that oppose themselves to
the work of God. Ye may observe a fourfold power of God against these
mountains.

1. A _determining power_, whereby He sets such bounds to the greatest
mountains, that ye see they fall not upon the vallies, albeit they
overtop them. Th