Attributes of God - Charnock - XLIV - 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 '3. The third thing is the goodness of God in his government.'

My summary
Today we finish the point on God's goodness in redemption, particularly that we see it in the covenant of grace made with us, whereby we are freed from the rigour of that of works. 

Thus God's goodness is shown in:
(i) that he should condescend to make another covenant with man;
(ii) the nature and tenor of the new covenant;
(iii) the choice gift of himself which he hath made over in this covenant;
(iv) the confirmation of the covenant;
(v) the condition of this covenant which is faith;
(vi) his methods of treating with men to embrace this covenant;
(vii) the sacraments he hath affixed to this covenant, especially in the Lord's Supper;
(viii) his restoring us to a more excellent condition than Adam had in innocence;
(ix) the extension of his goodness to the lower creation.

What grabbed me
I loved the point that God's goodness is seen when he only requires us to believe for salvation: 'This goodness of God is remarkable also in the condition of this covenant, which is faith. This was the easiest condition, in its own nature, that could be imagined; no difficulty in it but what proceeds from the pride of man's nature, and the obstinacy of his will. It was not impossible in itself; it was not the old condition of perfect obedience. It had been mighty goodness to set us up again upon our old stock, and restore us to the tenor and condition of the covenant of works, or to have required the burdensome ceremonies of the law. Nor is it an exact knowledge he requires of us; all men's understandings being of a different size, they had not been capable of this. It was the most reasonable condition, in regard of the excellency of the things proposed, and the effects following upon it; nay, it was necessary. It had been a want of goodness to himself and his own honour; he had cast that off, had he not insisted on this condition of faith, it being the lowest he could condescend to with a salvo for his glory. And it was a goodness to us; it is nothing else he require, but a willingness to accept what he hath contrived and acted for us: and no man can be happy against his will; without this belief, at least, man could never voluntarily have arrived to his happiness. '

How good is our God in not requiring us to obey the law to be saved.  If that was the case we would all be lost.

But instead the only condition is that we simply accept his offer of salvation by faith.

Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 12 (A discourse upon the goodness of God) by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'V. I shall now come to the use. First, Of instruction.'

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