d yield to Christ without any longer resistance, and these who only in
semblance and shew profess to avouch Christ to be their Lord, and feign
submission to him, not from the Spirit's effectual and saving
operations, but either from carnal and external considerations, or at
most from the Spirit's common motions and convictions; which differences
commonly arise from the different natures, motives, manner or ends of
this their acknowledging and avouching Christ for their Lord, and
covenanting with Him.

These things, as not so immediately proper for the work in hand, though
natively involved in the doctrine, being only cleared in transition; he
came in the second place more positively to insist upon and handle the
following heads. First, More generally to propose some considerations
which make such a great work as renewing covenant with the Lord a
weighty, hard and difficult work. And upon the other hand, to lay down
some counterbalancing considerations which render such a work more easy
and light, and may afford matter of encouragement toward the undertaking
of it. Secondly, More particularly in application to ourselves and the
work in hand, to lay before those who were resolved to enter into
covenant with the Lord, what were the things that seemed to speak
against us in the work, and might prove matter of discouragement in the
undertaking of it. And what, upon the other side, might speak for us,
and be ground of encouragement to us to go forward in humble and sincere
endeavors to renew our covenant with the Lord. Thirdly, To give some
advices and directions to such as were resolved upon the work. As for
the first: The considerations which make covenanting work weighty and
difficult. The _first_ consideration was drawn from the greatness of the
party to be covenanted with, the great and glorious Jehovah, the
Creator of the ends of the earth, who is a holy and jealous God, and who
will not forgive the iniquity of such as are false hearted and
perfidious in his covenant, obstinately persisting in their false
dealing; so Joshua premonisheth a people making very fair resolutions
and promises to serve the Lord, that it was a harder work than at the
first sight they apprehended; "That they could not serve the Lord, in
regard he is an holy God, he is a jealous God, and would not forgive
their transgressions nor their sins; and that if they should forsake the
Lord, and serve strange gods, then he would turn and do them hurt and