'All Things For Good' by Thomas Watson

If there is one promise in scripture which throughout all time given hope to the saints it is likely to be Romans 8:28:

‘And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.’



It is for this reason that Thomas Watson’s work ‘All things for Good’ based on this text was originally published in 1663 named ‘A Divine Cordial’. The book is exactly that: A divine cordial. It has a medicinal affect on spiritual health. It sooths anxiety, it arouses affection towards God, it comforts the soul, it seeks to crucify unbelief, and it strengths the root of faith in the precious doctrine of God’s sovereignty.

Watson in the preface explains his intent: 'To know that nothing hurts the godly, is a matter of comfort; but to be assured that all things which fall out shall co-operate for their good, that their crosses shall be turned into blessings, that showers of affliction, water the withering root of their grace and make it flourish more; this may fill their hearts with joy till they run over.'

Watson is concerned with our joy. He wants us to see God. To see God’s love in ordering all events to bring us closer to Him- the source of goodness. Watson wants us to attack every doubt which claims ‘God is not for you’ and replace it with God’s promises. Promises like: ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.’ (Psalm 34:19) and “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12).

God is for us. This is the premise of the book. He works all things (recessions, deaths, persecution, unemployment, discouragement, traffic lights and bad postal services-even sin!) for our good. Watson writes: 'All the various dealings of God with His children do by a special providence turn to their good'. But how so we know that they work for our good? This knowing is experience more than intellect. Knowing that God is for us is not a deduction processed by our minds but a compulsion we feel. 'The Spirit of God imprints heavenly truths upon the heart as with the point of a diamond…The Lord does not leave His people at uncertainties in matters of salvation. The apostle says, ‘We know’. We have arrived at holy confidence. We have both the Spirit of God, and our own experience, setting seal to it.’ (pg10)

Watson adopts a typical puritan manner when writing about the text. It’s systematic, clear, structured and more importantly: thorough. The book is relatively short but very comprehensive; he deals with text as puritans do.

‘The best things work for good to the godly’ is the title of the first chapter. Watson spells out the most treasured spiritual realities and duties to convince his reader. God is good and He works for our good. He’s the Father and master of perfect giving and good gifts (James 1:17). The promises of God work for our good. John 10:29 ‘My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.’ Watson argues the promises of God are ‘food for faith’ and ‘springs of joy’ (pg 17). ‘There is more in the promises to comfort than in the world to perplex.’ The graces of the Spirit work for our good. Grace makes the soul elegant and beautiful. The virtuous wife will do her husband good all the days of her life (Prov 31:12). The angels work for our good. They are ‘ministering Spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation’ (Heb1:14). Fellowship, the intercession of Christ, and the payers of the saints- all these things work for our good!! J

Chapter two examines how the worst things work for our good. Affliction works for our good: 'In the word preached, we hear what a dreadful thing sin is, that it is both defiling and damning, but we fear it no more than a painted lion; therefore God lets loose affliction, and then we feel sin bitter in the fruit of it. A sick-bed often teaches more than a sermon.' (pg 27). Afflictions give happiness in God: ‘The saints in affliction have had such sweet raptures of joy, that they thought themselves in the borders of the heavenly Canaan.’ (pg 30).

Temptation works for our good. Watson quotes Luther who said ‘there are three things that make a Christian – prayer, meditation, and temptation.’ Temptations stirs up Christians to desire Heaven as Heaven is a place without temptation. Temptation helps us to fear sin: ‘The more a child of God is tempted, the more he fights against the temptation. The more Satan tempts to blasphemy, the more a saint trembles at such thoughts, and says, ‘Get thee hence Satan.’ (pg35)

There are times in the Christian life when God is distant from us. ‘When God withholds the sweet manifestations of His favour, He does not look with such a pleasant aspect, but veils His face, and seems to be quite gone from the soul.’ (pg 39) It is at these times when you pray and you can’t feel anything. Or you commit sin and can’t feel the conviction. It’s those times when the heart goes cold that are the most treacherous to our own spiritual life. Although these moments are dangerous they do work for our good. The times of loneliness work for our good in that, we identify ourselves as a child of God. When you start to look into your soul and say ‘I can’t see the Spirit’s working and power’ it evidences that once you had the Spirit’s working and power.
Desertion helps a Christian to seek God with more passion. When it feels like God is hiding His face, you beg to see it even more. You crave it and pray until you see Him again. ‘Desertion works for good, as it prepares the saints for future comfort. The nipping frosts prepare for spring flowers. It’s God’s way first to cast down, then to comfort.’ (pg 43)

The fourth point made in this chapter is that ultimate evil of sin works for our good. Sin produces godly sorrow. Psalm 119:136 ‘Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law.’ Watson writes: ‘The sins of others work for good, as they make us more earnest in working for our own salvation. When we see wicked men take such pains for hell, this makes us more industrious for heaven.’ (pg 46).
The ultimate proof that sin works for our good is seen in Christ. It was Christ crucified that cleanses our sin. For us to come to God, Jesus had to die. And for Jesus to die there had to be death. For death to exist there had to be sin. Christ was crucified because the Romans committed the greatest sin- the nailing of the son of God to a tree. Sin works for our good. God commanded evil to exist for our everlasting joy and His eternal glory. Within the time line of history and the context of every event sin makes God look good.
In the words of Augustine: ‘God would never have ordained evil if he could not bring good out of it.’

In the following chapters Watson continues to exposit the verse by examining the two qualifications for the privilege of the verse. If all things work together for good to a certain person, this person must also love God and be called according to God’s person.

Watson defines love as ‘an expansion of soul, or the inflaming of the affections, by which a Christian breathes after God as the supreme and sovereign good.’ (pg 66). Love is breathing after God. It should be a normal natural exercise that people constantly engage themselves in. Instead what do we do? We hate him, naturally. Sinners are suffocating themselves from life if they don’t love God.
Love for God needs to be a passionate love. We need to love all of God with all that we can. ‘God, who is the chief of our happiness, must have the chief of our affections. The creature may have the milk of our love but God must have the cream.’ (pg 71)

Watson then devotes a chapter to writing about the tests of love. How do we know we love God? How can detect our love for God? His tests are as follows:
A fruit of love is the musing mind upon God
A fruit of love is desire of communion
A fruit of love is grief (for sin)
A fruit of love is magnanimity (14C word which denotes a greatness of soul, heart and mind. A sort of courage and zeal that sustains someone with peace during trouble)
A fruit of love is sensitivity
A fruit of love is hatred against sin
A fruit of loving is crucifixion
A fruit of love is fear
A fruit of love is loving what God loves
A fruit of love is the entertaining of good thoughts abut God
A fruit of love is obedience
A fruit of love is the desire to exalt God in the eyes of others
A fruit of love is to long for Christ’s appearing
A fruit of love is humility

Watson continues on to give twenty reasons why we should love God. Twenty!
Here are a few:
‘4) God is the most adequate and complete object of our love. All the excellencies that lie scattered in the creatures are united to Him. He is wisdom, beauty love, yea the very essence of goodness.’ (pg 89)
8) Love to God is the best self-love. It is self-love to get the soul saved; by loving God, we forward our own salvation. (pg 91)
‘14) Love to God will never let sin thrive in the heart’ (pg 96)

Effectual calling is the second qualification. This calling is a double calling and is received by every Christians. There is an outward call. That is hearing the gospel. Hearing about Jesus. Hearing that God is angry with you in your sin and yet is offering you love and acceptance through Jesus. The gospel is the objective work of what Christ did on the cross. It’s an offer and an invitation. It’s the expression of God’s heart to a broken generation: ‘We implore you on Christ’s behalf be reconciled to God!’ (2 Cor 5:20).



The inward call is something different. The inward call is the sensing of God for the first time in your soul. He says ‘Live!’ and you are born. Then you respond by receiving Christ as wonderfully attractive and needed. Both of these calls are needed for salvation. The inward call is irresistible. We didn’t ask to be born. In the same we didn’t ask to be born-again. God does it and then we respond. It’s not that we ask God to start working in us and then he takes up the offer. He starts working in us while we are dead in sin. The Spirit makes us alive. The Spirit gives life!!



‘Take notice what a mighty power God puts forth in calling sinners! God does so call as to draw (John 6:44)… A man can no more convert himself than a dead man can raise himself. It is called a creation (Col 3:10). To create is above the power of nature.’ (pg 113)

The last part of the text is ‘according to His purpose’ (Rom 8:28). God does it because He wants to. The pleasure of God in His own will is the ground of the text. It is God’s pleasure to save some and not others. That’s a serious statement. It exalts God and offends men. Watson isn’t afraid to say what the text really means, he writes:
‘If it be God’s purpose that saves, then it is not free-will. Pelagians are strenuous asserters of free-will. They tell us that a man has an innate power to effect his own conversion but this text confutes it. Our calling is ‘according to God’s purpose.’… All depends upon the purpose of God. When the prisoner is cast at the bar [convicted in a court of law], there is no saving him, unless the king has a purpose to save him. God’s purpose is His prerogative royal.’ (pg 125)



‘All things for good’ is a great read. It’s an easy introduction to the Puritan mindset and literature. But most of all it’s a book of humbling comfort. Comfort because our God is large enough to order everything for our benefit and humbling because we don’t deserve that. We deserve Hell not blessing. All things work for our good. Nothing is a threat anymore to our eternal well-being. Even the sin rooted deep in us that we lust after every day works for our good. Praise God!

All Things For Good: The Worst Things Work for Good to the Godly- when God hides His face

In this next section Watson deals with how desertion works for the Christian's good. Watson understands this concept from Song of Solomon 5:6 'My beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone'. 'When God withholds sweet manifestations of His favour, He does not look with such a pleasant aspect, but veils His face, and seems to be quite gone from the soul.'

'God is just in all His withdrawing. We desert Him before He deserts us. We desert God when we leave off close communion with Him, when we desert His truths and dare not appear for Him, when we leave the guidance and conduct of His Word and follow the deceitful light of our own corrupt affections and passions.'

How does desertion work for our good?

• Desertion can only happen to the Christian. Therefore if God leaves us it is evidence that we're born again. When we don't see the presence of God in our lives we start to crave for it. The non-Christian can't experience these cravings for the Spirit
• 'Desertion curses the soul of sloth'. In other words we are convicted of spiritual laziness when God takes His presence from us.
• Desertion works for good because it makes the Christian desire the presence of God again. When you don't see God's presence in your life you can't take it for granted. When we understand that we are empty without God we realise that 'the lovingkindess of the Lord is better than life.' (Psalm 63:3)
• Desertion works for our good because it makes sin seem more bitter. 'Sin made God desert His temple (Ezek 8:6). Sin causes Him to appear as an enemy, and dress Himself in armour. This makes the soul want to pursue sin with a holy malice, and seek to be avenged of it.'
• Desertion works for our good because it makes us seek God. 'The deserted soul sends up whole volleys of sighs and groans. It knocks at heaven's gate by prayer; it can have no rest until the golden beams of God's face shine.'
• Desertion works for our good 'as it prepares the saints for future comfort.' The angels visited Jesus after He had been fasting. Desertion makes heaven sweeter for us.

'The Lord brings us into the deep of desertion that He may not bring us into the deep of damnation. He puts us into a seeming hell, that He may keep us from a real hell. God is fitting us for that time when we shall enjoy His smiles for ever. '

All Things For Good: The Worst Things Work for Good to the Godly- Temptations

Carrying on with the second chapter of the book 'All Things for Good' written by Thomas Watson.

Watson's claim is that when a Christian is tempted it works for his or hers good.
Satan is the tempter. He is responsible for all temptations but with God's input these temptation produce a positive outcome.

The section is divided into three parts:
1) Satan's method in tempting
2) The extent of Satan's power
3) The proof that these temptations work for our good

1) Satan's method in tempting
'He labours to storm the castle of the heart, he throws in thoughts of blasphemy, he tempts to deny God; these are the fiery darts he shoots, by which he would inflame the passions.'
When Satan tempts, he tempts well. He studies the person in order to make temptations appeal to our weakness. He tempts at the best time. He knows when we're not expecting him to attack us. He's always ready to do what he can to pull us back from seeing more of God's glory.

Satan sometimes uses people close to us. Job's wife told Job to curse God and die. Satan even uses people who are Christians to tempt us. He did this with Christ by getting Peter to tempt Him.

Satan loves to transform himself into an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14) to trick people into sinning in the name of Christianity. He uses scripture to validate himself. When he tempted Christ he said to him 'it is written'.

2) The extent of Satan's power
How much reach does Satan have?
He implanted evil thoughts into Judas to make him betray Christ (John 13:2). He works by exciting our existing corruption. He acts like a catalyst by making sin look more wonderful than God. He talks us into sin by using arguments that include scripture.

3) The proof that these temptations work for our good
'A tree that is shaken by the wind is more settled and rooted; so, the blowing of a temptation does but settle a Christian the more in grace.'

• Temptation makes the Christian pray. 'The deer being shot with the dart, runs faster to the water.' Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:8 prayed to get rid of the thorn in his flesh.
• The more someone is tempted the more someone fights against temptation. Temptation helps us to humble ourselves (2 Cor 12:7).
• Temptation is a trial of our sincerity. The power of a saint 'is never more seen than on a battlefield, when he is fighting'.
• Temptations work for our good because through being tempted we can comfort others who are being tempted.
• Temptations work for our good because they stir up the passion of God for us as we are His children. 'When a saint lies under the bruising of temptations, Christ prays, and God the Father pities.'
• Temptations make the Christian want Heaven more. When we are tempted we look forward to a place where temptation doesn't exist!
• Temptations work for our good because 'they engage the energy of Christ'. He was tempted to comfort us as we are tempted (Heb 2:18).

Luther said: 'there are three things that make a Christian- prayer, meditation, and temptation.'

All Things For Good: The Worst Things Work for Good to the Godly- Afflictions

After a short break I want to continue blogging on Watson's book 'All Things For Good'. Chapter two is awesome! I can't think of anything else that gives more comfort to me other than knowing that the worst aspects of life work for my good! Watson divides the chapter into 4 parts.

1) Affliction works for our good.
2) Temptation works for our good.
3) It works for our good when God hides His presence from us
4) Even sin works for our good!

1) Affliction works for our good
'In the word preached, we hear what a dreadful thing sin is, that it is both defiling and damning, but we who fear it no more than a painted lion; therefore God lets loose affliction, and then we feel sin bitter in the fruit of it. A sick-bed often teaches more than a sermon.' Watson makes the point that sin is well understood when we feel its effects. If we're going to grow in grace and power of the Spirit we need to be broken so that God can be glorified in our weakness.

'Afflictions make the heart more upright'. When people prosper their hearts tend to be divided (Hos 10:2). This is when the heart tries to have two masters- God and money. Suffering strips the person of outward blessings so that we cling on to God.

Afflictions make us more like Christ. 'God's rod is a pencil to draw Christ's image more lively upon us.' Christ was a man of sorrows He was acquainted with grief (Is 53:3). Suffering enables us to become conformed to Him (Phil 3:10).

Afflictions are destructive to sin. 'Afflictions are the medicine which God uses to carry off our spiritual diseases; they cure the tympany of pride, the fever of lust, the dropsy of covetousness.'

Afflictions loosen our hearts away from the world. 'When you dig away the earth from the root of a tree, it is to loosen the tree from the earth.' God unroots us from the world by afflicting us.

Afflictions work for good, as they make way for comfort. Our sorrow gets turned into joy (John 16:20). Our light affliction is working for our experience of glory (2 Cor 4:17).

Afflictions work for good as they make us understand the reality of who we are. God shows us that we are His Son's when He afflicts us (Heb 12:7). Afflictions magnify us because we are rewarded for our sufferings. A soldier is praised for his victories just like the Christian is rewarded for suffering.

Afflictions work for our good as they make us happy. Job 5:17 'Happy is the man whom God corrects'. Afflictions bring us nearer to God. They make us want to cling on to Him. Therefore they make us happy.

Afflictions work for good as they make way for glory (2 Cor 4:17). Afflictions don't merit glory but they prepare us for it!

'We should not so much look at the evil of affliction, as the good; not so much at the dark side of the cloud, as the light. The worst that God does to His children is to whip them to Heaven.'

All Things For Good: The Best Things Work For Good To The Godly

What are the best things and how do they work for the Christian's good?
Watson answers this question under the following sections:

1) God's attributes work for good to the godly
His power is glorious (Col 1v11) and sustaining. He gives us life and the ability to breathe. It's the power of God that upholds everything!
Deuteronomy 33v29: 'Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help and the sword of your majesty!' Being saved brings the happiness of knowing that God is our shield!
God's wisdom instructs us and guides our lives so that if we listen and obey we will never fall into evil. God's goodness leads us to repentance (Rev 2v4). And repentance works for our good because it leads us to Christ the ultimate standard of good! Watson states: 'The goodness of God is a spiritual sunbeam to melt the heart into tears'.

2) The promises of God work for good to the godly
God's promises are the security of our hope. Biblical hope can't disappoint because He has given us the experience of His Spirit (Rom 5v5).
What happens when we feel full of guilt and sin? When the Devil accuses us of having too much sin for God to forgive? We claim and recite the promises of God's character to Him: 'The Lord merciful and gracious' (Exodus 24v6).
What about if we're backsliding? God promises to heal all backslidings (Hos 14v4).
Psalm 34v10 is so comforting. 'Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing'! God promises to make us prosper spiritually by sometimes inflicting us physically.
Happiness is derived from His promises. The psalmist tells us that without the joy that comes from God's promises he wouldn't have been able to continue in suffering (Psalm 119v2).
Responding to God's promises is exercising faith. This faith is the only channel that we can receive blessings from therefore His promises work for our good.

3) The mercies of God work for good to the godly
God's mercies make the hear thankful (Psalm 116v12,13). They make the heart fruitful.
A gracious soul honours the Lord with His substance. He does not do with His mercies, as Israel with their jewels and ear-rings make a golden calf, but, as Solomon did..., build a temple for the Lord.' The good Christian isn't a grave to bury God's mercies but a temple to sing His praises.
When God is merciful to a Christian the Christian wants to feed the poor. He wants to visit orphans and widows (James 1v27).

4) The graces of the Spirit work for good
The fruits of the Spirit make someone attractive. None of the fruits are ugly-all are beautiful!
The graces are evidences of heaven. They give assurance of salvation.
'The saints graces are weapons to defend them, wings to elevate them, jewels to enrich them, spices to perfume them, stars to adorn them, cordials to refresh them.'

5) The Angels for the good of the Saints
Angels are ministering Spirits sent to protect and help (Heb 1v14, Psalm 91v11). Christ was refreshed by an angel when He died (Luke 22v43) and likewise we will be.
At judgement the angels are described as being the reapers of the evil harvest. The angels will get rid of all the enemies of God so that heaven will be a perfect place.

6) The Communion of Saints works for good
Christians are required to cultivate love and good works in each other (Heb 10v24). We should all want to see each other producing fruit. Hence we are working for each others joy (2 Cor 1v24) which is our good!

7) Christ's intercession works for good
Christ has prayed for Christians (John 17) with three requests: that we would be kept from the evil one, that we would be sanctified, that we would be glorified.
Christ lives to go between God and us so that we can approach Him. Through Jesus we have access to and the greatest good-God Himself.

8) The Prayers of the Saints work for good to the godly
We pray for each others good by praying for healing (James 5v15). We pray for our society and nation for the good of the country and the elect (1 Tim 2v1-2).
Peter was prayed for and he was released from jail (Acts 12v5-7).
We pray for God to be glorified-this is the greatest good.

All Things For Good: Introduction

The book is based on Romans 8v28:

'And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose'

All things? Does that actually mean everything? Yes says Watson. All things actually means all things. There is nothing that a Christian can go through that does not build Him up and bless Him. Scripture is a feast to the Soul and according to Watson Romans 8v28 is one of the most sweetest dishes.

Why so sweet? 2 reasons:

The certainty of the privilege

We know all things work for our good. How? Not by vague opinion or written doctrine but by God testifying to our Soul. He infallibly speaks and we listen because His voice is sweet (S of S 2v14). 'The Spirit of God imprints heavenly truths upon the heart as with the point of a diamond'. Meaning we know infallibly the truth about life. Facts about the evil of sin and majesty of God and written on our hearts.

The excellency of the privilege

'All the various dealings of God with His children do by a special providence turn to their good'. Every path we walk in we find mercy and therefore it works for our good (Psalm 25v10). The pathway has rough stones and thorns which hurt our naked feet but the scenery and smells of God's glory make any affliction endurable.

All Things For Good: Preface

I started a new book this morning. All Things For Good (buy, read) is written by the Puritan Thomas Watson the 17th Century minister of St Stephen's Walbrook.

Watson writes out of the motivation to resolve two difficulties he observes in the ministry. The first 'to make the wicked sad' in other words to show the non-Christian the awfulnes of their own sin and the judgement. And Secondly 'to make the godly joyful' with the promises of the Word by the Spirit.

So Watson writes:

'To know that nothing hurts the godly, is a matter of comfort; but to be assured that all things which fall out shall co operate for their good, that their crosses shall be turned into blessings, that showers of affliction water the withering root of their grace and make it flourish more; this may fill their hearts with joy till they run over.'

I plan to blog through the book as a co-worker for your joy (2 Cor 1v24) because I've been so blessed by it!