Attributes of God - Charnock - XLIII - Chapter 12 (God's goodness) continued

Required reading
Attributes of God by Charnock (Available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Continue Chapter 12 (A discourse upon the goodness of God) by reading up to the paragraph commencing '5. This goodness is manifest in the covenant of grace made with us, whereby we are freed from the rigour of that of works.'

My summary
This week we see the manifestation of God's goodness in redemption.

Firstly Charnock shows us that God's goodness in redemption was:
(i) the spring of redemption;
(ii) a pure goodness;
(iii) a distinct goodness of the whole Trinity;
(iv) proclaimed by its effects;
(v) exceeded his goodness in creation.

Then Charnock looks at wherein this goodness appears in redemption.  It is shown in:
(i) that there was no other inducement to redeem man but divine goodness;
(ii) God's giving Christ to be our Redeemer, he gave the highest gift that it was possible for divine goodness to bestow;
(iii) considering the state of man in the first transgression;
(iv) the high advancement of our nature after it had so highly offended;
(v) the covenant of grace made with us, whereby we are freed from the rigour of that of works.

(The fifth point is a lengthy one so we didn't read it this week - it will make up all of next week's reading)

What grabbed me
I appreciated the contrast between God's goodness toward fallen humans and his goodness toward fallen angels: 'His goodness in redemption is greater than any goodness expressed to the fallen angels. It is the wonder of his goodness to us, that he was mindful of fallen man, and careless of fallen angels; that he should visit man, wallowing in death and blood, with the day-spring from on high, and never turn the Egyptian darkness of devils into cheerful day; when they sinned, Divine thunder dashed them into hell; when man sinned, Divine blood wafts the fallen creature from his misery: the angels wallow in their own blood for ever, while Christ is made partaker of our blood, and wallows in his blood, that we might not for ever corrupt in ours; they tumbled down from heaven, and Divine goodness would not vouchsafe to catch them; man tumbles down, and Divine goodness holds out a hand drenched in the blood of Him, that was from the foundations of the world, to lift us up (Heb. ii. 16). He spared not those dignified spirits, when they revolted; and spared not punishing his Son for dusty man, when he offended; when he might as well for ever have let man lie in the chains wherein he had entangled himself, as them. We were as fit objects of justice as they, and they as fit objects of goodness as we; they were not more wretched by their fall than we ; and the poverty of our nature rendered us more unable to recover ourselves, than the dignity of theirs did them; they were his Reuben, his first-born; they were his might, and the beginning of his strength; yet those elder sons he neglected, to prefer the younger; they were the prime and golden pieces of creation, not laden with gross matter, yet they lie under the ruins of their fall, while man, lead in comparison of them, is refined for another world.'

God's goodness in sending his Son to die for us and not angels is simply unfathomable!

Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 12 (A discourse upon the goodness of God) by reading up to the paragraph commencing '3. The third thing is the goodness of God in his government.'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.