Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

2. This goodness is more the foundation and motive of trust under the Gospel, than under the Law. They under the Law had more evidences of Divine Power, and their trust eyed that much; though there was an eminency of goodness in the frequent deliverances they had, yet the Power of God had a more glorious dress, than his Goodness, because of the extraordinary and miraculous ways whereby he brought those deliverances about. Therefore in the Catalogue of Believers in Heb. 11. you shall find the Power of God, to be the Centre of their Rest and Trust; and their Faith was built upon the extraordinary Marks of Divine Power, which were frequently visible to them. But under the Gospel, goodness and love was intended by God, to be the chief Object of trust; suitable to the Excellency of that Dispensation, he would have an Exercise of more ingenuity in the Creatures: Therefore 'tis said, Hosea 3.5. A promise of Gospel-times, They shall fear God and his goodness in the later days, when they shall return to seek the Lord, and David their King. 'Tis not said, they shall fear God, and his Power, but the Lord and his goodness, or the Lord for his goodness: Fear is often in the Old Testament taken for Faith, or Trust. This Divine Goodness, the Object of Faith, is that goodness discovered in David their King; the Messiah, our Jesus. God in this Dispensation recommends his goodness and love, and reveals it more clearly than other Attributes, that the Soul might have more prevailing and sweeter attractives, to confide in him.

2. This goodness is more the foundation and motive of trust under the Gospel, than under the Law. They under the Law had more evidences of Divine Power, and their trust eyed that much; though there was an eminency of goodness in the frequent deliverances they had, yet the Power of God had a more glorious dress, than his Goodness, because of the extraordinary and miraculous ways whereby he brought those deliverances about. Therefore in the Catalogue of Believers in Heb. 11. you shall find the Power of God, to be the Center of their Rest and Trust; and their Faith was built upon the extraordinary Marks of Divine Power, which were frequently visible to them. But under the Gospel, goodness and love was intended by God, to be the chief Object of trust; suitable to the Excellency of that Dispensation, he would have an Exercise of more ingenuity in the Creatures: Therefore 'tis said,