THE WORST THINGS WORKFOR GOOD 
TO THE GODLY
A minimally editedexcerpt from Thomas Watson’s AllThings For Good,
(BOT, 1986 [first published in 1663 as A Divine Cordial], 25–51)
Part 1 of 2

Do not mistake me, I do not say that of their own nature the worst things aregood, for they are a fruit of the curse; but though they are naturally evil,yet the wise overruling hand of God disposing and sanctifying them, they aremorally good. As the elements, though of contrary qualities, yet God has sotempered them that they all work in a harmonious manner for the good of theuniverse. Or as in a watch, the wheels seem to move contrary one to another,but all carry on the motions of the watch: so things that seem to move cross tothe godly, yet by the wonderful providence of God work for their good. Amongthese worst things, there are four sad evils that work for good to them thatlove God, namely: affliction, temptation, desertion and sin.

The Evil of Affliction Works
for Good to the Godly

It is one heart-quieting consideration in all the afflictions that befall us,that God has a special hand in them: “The Almighty hath afflicted me” (Ruth1:21). Instruments can no more stir till God gives them a commission, than theaxe can cut of itself without a hand. Job eyed God in his affliction:therefore, as Augustine observes, he does not say, “The LORD gave, and thedevil took away,” but, “The LORD hath taken away.” Whoever brings an afflictionto us, it is God that sends it.

Another heart-quieting consideration is, that afflictions work for good. “Likethese good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive ofJudah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans fortheir good” (Jer 24:5). Judah’s captivity in Babylon was for their good. “It isgood for me that I have been afflicted” (Ps 119:71). This text, like Moses’tree cast into the bitter waters of affliction, may make them sweet andwholesome to drink. Afflictions to the godly are medicinal. Out of the mostpoisonous drugs God extracts our salvation. Afflictions are as needful asordinances (1 Pet 1:6). No vessel can be made of gold without fire; so it isimpossible that we should be made vessels of honour, unless we are melted andrefined in the furnace of affliction. “All the paths of the LORD are mercy andtruth” (Ps 25:10). As the painter intermixes bright colours with dark shadows;so the wise God mixes mercy with judgment. Those afflictive providences, whichseem to be prejudicial, are beneficial. Let us take some instances inScripture. Joseph’s brethren threw him into a pit; afterwards they sold him;then he was cast into prison; yet all this did work for his good. His abasementmade way for his advancement; he was made the second man in the kingdom. “Yethought evil against me; but God meant it for good” (Gen 50:20). Jacob wrestledwith the angel, and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint. This was sad;but God turned it to good, for there he saw God’s face, and there the Lordblessed him. “Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen Godface to face” (Gen 32:30). Who would not be willing to have a bone out ofjoint, so that he might have a sight of God?

King Manasseh was bound in chains. This was sad to see—a crown of gold changedinto fetters; but it wrought for his good, for, “When he was in affliction, hebesought the LORD, and humbled himself greatly…, and [the LORD] was intreatedof him” (2 Chr 33:11–13). He was more beholden to his iron chain, than to hisgolden crown; the one made him proud, the other made him humble.

Job was a spectacle of misery; he lost all that ever he had; he abounded onlyin boils and ulcers. This was sad; but it wrought for his good, his grace wasproved and improved. God gave a testimony from heaven of his integrity, and didcompensate his loss by giving him twice as much as ever he had before (Job42:10).

Paul was smitten with blindness. This was uncomfortable, but it turned to hisgood. God did by that blindness make way for the light of grace to shine intohis soul; it was the beginning of a happy conversion (Acts 9:6).

As the hard frosts in winter bring on the flowers in the spring, as the nightushers in the morning star: so the evils of affliction produce much good tothose that love God. But we are ready to question the truth of this, and say,as Mary did to the angel, “How shall this be?” Therefore I shall show youseveral ways how affliction works for good.

(1) As it is our preacher and tutor—“Hear ye the rod” (Mic 6:9). Luther saidthat he could never rightly understand some of the Psalms, till he was inaffliction. Affliction teaches what sin is. In the Word preached, we hear whata dreadful thing sin is, that it is both defiling and damning, but we fear itno more than a painted lion; therefore God lets loose affliction, and then wefeel sin bitter in the fruit of it. A sick bed often teaches more than asermon. We can best see the ugly visage of sin in the glass of affliction.Affliction teaches us to know ourselves. In prosperity we are for the most partstrangers to ourselves. God makes us know affliction, that we may better knowourselves. We see that corruption in our hearts in the time of affliction,which we would not believe was there. Water in the glass looks clear, but setit on the fire, and the scum boils up. In prosperity, a man seems to be humbleand thankful, the water looks clear; but set this man a little on the fire ofaffliction, and the scum boils up—much impatience and unbelief appear. “Oh,”says a Christian, “I never thought I had such a bad heart, as now I see I have:I never thought my corruptions had been so strong, and my graces so weak.”

(2) Afflictions work for good, as they are the means of making the heart moreupright. In prosperity the heart is apt to be divided (Hos 10:2). The heartcleaves partly to God, and partly to the world. It is like a needle between twoloadstones: God draws, and the world draws. Now God takes away the world, thatthe heart may cleave more to Him in sincerity. Correction is a setting theheart right and straight. As we sometimes hold a crooked rod over the fire tostraighten it; so God holds us over the fire of affliction to make us morestraight and upright. Oh, how good it is, when sin has bent the soul awry fromGod, that affliction should straighten it again!

(3) Afflictions work for good, as they conform us to Christ. God’s rod is apencil to draw Christ’s image more lively upon us. It is good that there shouldbe symmetry and proportion between the Head and the members. Would we be partsof Christ’s mystical body, and not like Him? His life, as Calvin says, was aseries of sufferings, “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa 53:3).He wept, and bled. Was His head crowned with thorns, and do we think to becrowned with roses? It is good to be like Christ, though it be by sufferings.Jesus Christ drank a bitter cup, it made Him sweat drops of blood to think ofit; and, though it be true He drank the poison in the cup (the wrath of God)yet there is some wormwood in the cup left, which the saints must drink: onlyhere is the difference between Christ’s sufferings and ours; His weresatisfactory, ours are only castigatory.

(4) Afflictions work for good to the godly, as they are destructive to sin. Sinis the mother, affliction is the daughter; the daughter helps to destroy themother. Sin is like the tree that breeds the worm, and affliction is like theworm that eats the tree. There is much corruption in the best heart: afflictiondoes by degrees work it out, as the fire works out the dross from the gold,“This is all the fruit to take away his sin” (Isa 27:9). What if we have moreof the rough file, if we have less rust! Afflictions carry away nothing but thedross of sin. If a physician should say to a patient, “Your body isdistempered, and full of bad tumours, which must be cleared out, or you die;but I will prescribe physic which, though it may make you sick, yet it willcarry away the dregs of your disease, and save your life”: would not this befor the good of the patient? Afflictions are the medicine, which God uses tocarry off our spiritual diseases; they cure the tumour of pride, the fever oflust, the dropsy of covetousness. Do they not then work for good?

(5) Afflictions work for good, as they are the means of loosening our hearts fromthe world. When you dig away the earth from the root of a tree, it is to loosenthe tree from the earth: so God digs away our earthly comforts to loosen ourhearts from the earth. A thorn grows up with every flower. God would have theworld hang as a loose tooth which, being twitched away, does not much troubleus. Is it not good to be weaned? The oldest saints need it. Why does the Lordbreak the conduit pipe, but that we may go to Him, in whom are all our freshsprings (Ps 87:7).

(6) Afflictions work for good, as they make way for comfort. In “the valley ofAchor [is] a door of hope” (Hos 2:15). Achor signifies trouble. Godsweetens outward pain with inward peace. “Your sorrow shall he turned into joy”(Jn 16:20). Here is the water turned into wine. After a bitter pill, God givessugar. Paul had his prison songs. God’s rod has honey at the end of it. Thesaints in affliction have had such sweet raptures of joy, that they thoughtthemselves in the borders of the heavenly Canaan.

(7) Afflictions work for good, as they are a magnifying of us. “What is man,that thou shouldest magnify him?… and that thou shouldest visit him everymorning?” (Job 7:17–18). God does by affliction magnify us three ways. (a) Inthat He will condescend so low as to take notice of us. It is an honour thatGod will mind dust and ashes. It is a magnifying of us, that God thinks usworthy to be smitten. God’s not striking is a slighting: “Why should ye bestricken any more?” (Isa 1:5). If you will go on in sin, take your course, sinyourselves into hell. (b) Afflictions also magnify us, as they are ensigns ofglory, signs of sonship. “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as withsons” (Heb 12:7). Every print of the rod is a badge of honour. (c) Afflictionstend to the magnifying of the saints, as they make them renowned in the world.Soldiers have never been so admired for their victories, as the saints havebeen for their sufferings. The zeal and constancy of the martyrs in theirtrials have rendered them famous to posterity. How eminent was Job for hispatience! God leaves his name upon record: “Ye have heard of the patience ofJob” (Jas 5:11). Job the sufferer was more renowned than Alexander theconqueror.

(8) Afflictions work for good, as they are the means of making us happy. “Happyis the man whom God correcteth” (Job 5:17). What politician or moralist everplaced happiness in the cross? Job does. “Happy is the man whom Godcorrecteth.”

It may be said, How do afflictions make us happy? We reply that, beingsanctified, they bring us nearer to God. The moon in the full is furthest offfrom the sun: so are many further off from God in the full moon of prosperity;afflictions bring them nearer to God. The magnet of mercy does not draw us sonear to God as the cords of affliction. When Absalom set Joab’s corn on fire,then he came running to Absalom (2 Sam 14:30). When God sets our worldlycomforts on fire, then we run to Him, and make our peace with Him. When theprodigal was pinched with want, then he returned home to his father (Lk 15:13).When the dove could not find any rest for the sole of her foot, then she flewto the ark. When God brings a deluge of affliction upon us, then we fly to theark of Christ. Thus affliction makes us happy, in bringing us nearer to God.Faith can make use of the waters of affliction, to swim faster to Christ.

(9) Afflictions work for good, as they put to silence the wicked. How ready arethey to asperse and calumniate the godly, that they serve God only for selfinterest. Therefore God will have His people endure sufferings for religion,that He may put a padlock on the lying lips of wicked men. When the atheists ofthe world see that God has a people, who serve Him not for a livery, but forlove, this stops their mouths. The devil accused Job of hypocrisy, that he wasa mercenary man, all his religion was made up of ends of gold and silver. “DothJob serve God for nought? Hast not thou made a hedge about him?” etc. (Job1:9–10). “Well,” says God, “put forth thy hand, touch his estate” (cf. Job 1:12).The devil had no sooner received a commission, but he fell a breaking downJob’s hedge; but still Job worshipped God (Job 1:20), and professed his faithin Him. “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). This silencedthe devil himself. How it strikes a damp into wicked men, when they see thatthe godly will keep close to God in a suffering condition, and that, when theylose all, they yet will hold fast their integrity.

(10) Afflictions work for good, as they make way for glory (2 Cor 4:17). Notthat they merit glory, but they prepare for it. As ploughing prepares the earthfor a crop, so afflictions prepare and make us meet for glory. The painter layshis gold upon dark colours, so God first lays the dark colours of affliction,and then He lays the golden colour of glory. The vessel is first seasonedbefore wine is poured into it: the vessels of mercy are first seasoned withaffliction, and then the wine of glory is poured in. Thus we see afflictionsare not prejudicial, but beneficial, to the saints. We should not so much lookat the evil of affliction, as the good; not so much at the dark side of thecloud, as the light. The worst that God does to His children is to whip them toheaven.

The Evil of Temptation isOverruled
for Good to the Godly

The evil of temptation works for good. Satan is called the tempter (Mk 4:15).He is ever lying in ambush, he is continually at work with one saint oranother. The devil has his circuit that he walks every day: he is not yet fullycast into prison, but, like a prisoner that goes under bail, he walks about totempt the saints. This is a great molestation to a child of God. Now concerningSatan’s temptations, there are three things to be considered:

(1) Satan’s method in tempting.

Here take notice of two things. His violence in tempting; and so he is the reddragon. He labours to storm the castle of the heart, he throws in thoughts ofblasphemy, he tempts to deny God: these are the fiery darts he shoots, by whichhe would inflame the passions. Also, his subtlety in tempting; and so he is theold serpent. There are five chief subtleties the devil uses.

a) He observes the temperament and constitution: he lays suitable baits oftemptation. Like the farmer, he knows what grain is best for the soil. Satanwill not tempt contrary to the natural disposition and temperament. This is hispolicy, he makes the wind and tide go together; that way the natural tide ofthe heart runs, that way the wind of temptation blows. Though the devil cannotknow men’s thoughts, yet he knows their temperament, and accordingly he layshis baits. He tempts the ambitious man with a crown, the sanguine man withbeauty.

b) Satan observes the fittest time to tempt in as a cunning angler casts in hisangle when the fish will bite best. Satan’s time of tempting is usually afteran ordinance: and the reason is, he thinks he shall find us most secure. Whenwe have been at solemn duties, we are apt to think all is done, and we growremiss, and leave off that zeal and strictness as before; just as a soldier,who after a battle leaves off his armour, not once dreaming of an enemy. Satanwatches his time, and, when we least suspect, then he throws in a temptation.

c) He makes use of near relations; the devil tempts by a proxy. Thus he handedover a temptation to Job by his wife. “Dost thou still retain thine integrity?”(Job 2:9). A wife in the bosom may be the devil’s instrument to tempt to sin.

d) Satan tempts to evil by them that are good, thus he gives poison in a goldencup. He tempted Christ by Peter. Peter dissuades Him from suffering. Master,pity Thyself. Who would have thought to have found the tempter in the mouth ofan Apostle?

e) Satan tempts to sin under a pretence of religion. He is most to be fearedwhen he transforms himself into an angel of light. He came to Christ withScripture in his mouth: “It is written” (cf. Mt 4:6). The devil baits his hookwith religion. He tempts many a man to covetousness and extortion under apretence of providing for his family, he tempts some to do away withthemselves, that they may live no longer to sin against God; and so he drawsthem into sin, under a pretence of avoiding sin. These are his subtlestratagems in tempting.

(2) The extent of his power; how farSatan’s power in tempting reaches.

a) He can propose the object; as he set a wedge of gold before Achan.

b) He can poison the fancy, and instil evil thoughts into the mind. As the HolyGhost casts in good suggestions, so the devil casts in bad ones. He put it intoJudas’ heart to betray Christ (Jn 13:2).

c) Satan can excite and irritate the corruption within, and work some kind ofinclination in the heart to embrace a temptation. Though it is true Satancannot force the will to yield consent, yet he being an earnest suitor, by hiscontinual solicitation, may provoke to evil. Thus he provoked David to numberthe people (1 Chr 21:1). The devil may, by his subtle arguments, dispute usinto sin.

(3) These temptations are overruledfor good to the children of God.

A tree that is shaken by the wind is more settled and rooted; so, the blowingof a temptation does but settles a Christian the more in grace. Temptations areoverruled for good eight ways:

a) Temptation sends the soul to prayer. The more furiously Satan tempts, themore fervently the saint prays. The deer being shot with the dart, runs fasterto the water. When Satan shoots his fiery darts at the soul, it then runsfaster to the throne of grace. When Paul had the messenger of Satan to buffethim, he says, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might departfrom me” (2 Cor 12:8). Temptation is a medicine for security. That which makesus pray more, works for good.

b) Temptation to sin is a means to keep from the perpetration of sin. The morea child of God is tempted, the more he fights against the temptation. The moreSatan tempts to blasphemy, the more a saint trembles at such thoughts, andsays, “Get thee hence, Satan.” When Joseph’s mistress tempted him to folly, thestronger her temptation was, the stronger was his opposition. That temptationwhich the devil uses as a spur to sin, c) God makes a bridle to keep back aChristian from it.

c) Temptation works for good, as it abates the swelling of pride. “Lest Ishould be exalted above measure…, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, themessenger of Satan to buffet me” (2 Cor 12:7). The thorn in the flesh was topuncture the puffing up of pride. Better is that temptation which humbles me,than that duty which makes me proud. Rather than a Christian shall be haughtyminded, God will let him fall into the devil’s hands awhile, to be cured of hisabscess.

d) Temptation works for good, as it is a touchstone to try what is in theheart. The devil tempts, that he may deceive; but God suffers us to be tempted,to try us. Temptation is a trial of our sincerity. It argues that our heart ischaste and loyal to Christ, when we can look a temptation in the face, and turnour back upon it. Also it is a trial of our courage. “Ephraim also is like asilly dove without heart” (Hos 7:11). So it may be said of many, they arewithout a heart; they have no heart to resist temptation. No sooner does Satancome, but they yield; like a coward who, as soon as the thief approaches, giveshim his purse. But he is the valorous Christian, that brandishes the sword ofthe Spirit against Satan, and will rather die than yield. The courage of theRomans was never more seen than when they were assaulted by the Carthaginians:the valour and might of a saint is never more seen than on a battlefield, whenhe is fighting the red dragon, and by the power of faith puts the devil toflight. That grace is tried gold, which can stand in the fiery trial, andwithstand fiery darts.

e) Temptations work for good, as God makes those who are tempted fit to comfortothers in the same distress. A Christian must himself be under the buffetingsof Satan, before he can speak a word in due season to him that is weary. St.Paul was versed in temptations. “We are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor2:11). Thus he was able to acquaint others with Satan’s cursed wiles (1 Cor10:13). A man that has ridden over a place where there are bogs and quicksandsis the fittest to guide others through that dangerous way. He that has felt theclaws of the roaring lion, and has lain bleeding under those wounds, is thefittest man to deal with one that is tempted. None can better discover Satan’ssleights and policies, than those who have been long in the fencing school oftemptation.

f) Temptations work for good, as they stir up paternal compassion in God tothem who are tempted. The child who is sick and bruised is most looked after.When a saint lies under the bruising of temptations, Christ prays, and God theFather pities. When Satan puts the soul into a fever, God comes with a cordial;which made Luther say, that temptations are Christ’s embraces, because He thenmost sweetly manifests Himself to the soul.

g) Temptations work for good, as they make the saints long more for heaven.There they shall be out of gunshot; heaven is a place of rest, no bullets oftemptation fly there. The eagle that soars aloft in the air, and sits upon hightrees, is not troubled with the stinging of the serpent: so when believers areascended to heaven, they shall not be molested with the old serpent. In thislife, when one temptation is over, another comes. This is to make God’s peoplewish for death to sound a retreat, and call them off the field where thebullets fly so quick, to receive a victorious crown, where not the drum orcannon, but the harp and viol, shall be ever sounding.

h) Temptations work for good, as they engage the strength of Christ. Christ isour Friend, and when we are tempted, He sets all His power working for us. “Forin that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them thatare tempted” (Heb 2:18). If a poor soul was to fight alone with the Goliath ofhell, he would be sure to be vanquished, but Jesus Christ brings in Hisauxiliary forces, He gives fresh supplies of grace. And through him we are morethan conquerors (Rom 8:37). Thus the evil of temptation is overruled for good.

Objections and Answers concerningTemptations

Question. But sometimes Satan foils a child of God. How does thiswork for good?

Answer. I grant that, through the suspension of divine grace, andthe fury of a temptation, a saint may be overcome; yet this foiling by atemptation shall be overruled for good. By this foil God makes way for theaugmentation of grace. Peter was tempted to self-confidence, he presumed uponhis own strength; and when he would needs stand alone, Christ let him fall. Butthis wrought for his good, it cost him many a tear. “He went out, and weptbitterly” (Mt 26:75). And now he grows more modest. He durst not say he lovedChrist more than the other Apostles. “Lovest thou me more than these?” (Jn21:15). He durst not say so, his fall broke the neck of his pride. The foilingby a temptation causes more circumspection and watchfulness in a child of God.Though Satan did before decoy him into sin, yet for the future he will be themore cautious. He will have a care of coming within the lion’s chain any more.He is more shy and fearful of the occasions of sin. He never goes out withouthis spiritual armour, and he girds on his armour by prayer. He knows he walkson slippery ground; therefore he looks wisely to his steps. He keeps closesentinel in his soul, and when he spies the devil coming, he stands to hisarms, and displays the shield of faith (Eph 6:16). This is all the hurt thedevil does. When he foils a saint by temptation, he cures him of his carelessneglect; he makes him watch and pray more. When wild beasts get over the hedgeand hurt the corn, a man will make his fence the stronger: so, when the devilgets over the hedge by a temptation, a Christian will be sure to mend hisfence; he will become more fearful of sin, and careful of duty. Thus the beingworsted by temptation works for good.

Objection. But if being foiled works for good, this may makeChristians careless whether they are overcome by temptations or no.

Answer. There is a great deal of difference between falling into atemptation, and running into a temptation. The falling into a temptation shallwork for good, not the running into it. He that falls into a river is capableof help and pity, but he that desperately turns into it is guilty of his owndeath. It is madness running into a lion’s den. He that runs himself into atemptation is like Saul, who fell upon his own sword.

From all that has been said, see how God disappoints the old serpent, making histemptations turn to the good of His people. Surely if the devil knew how muchbenefit accrues to the saints by temptation, he would forbear to tempt. Lutheronce said, “There are three things make a Christian—prayer, meditation, andtemptation.” The Apostle Paul, in his voyage to Rome, met with a contrary wind (Acts 27:4).So the wind of temptation is a contrary wind to that of the Spirit; but Godmakes use of this cross wind, to blow the saints to heaven.

Part 2 of 2

[Thomas Watson (c. 1620–1686) was one of the most popular preachers in London during the Puritanera. Because of his clarity and succinctness (compared to the prolixity of manyother Puritans), he is generally regarded as the most readable of the Puritansand his works has been greatly helpful in the modern church too. Indeed, thefact that the first book published by Banner of Truth Trust was Watson’s Body of Divinity (an exposition of the Westminster ShorterCatechism) speaks volumes for the gifts that God has bestowed upon this humbleservant of His.

Watson took his cue for the ministry from Ezekiel 13:22—“Because with lies yehave made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; andstrengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wickedway, by promising him life.” He saw that the two great challenges in hisministry were, firstly, to make the wicked sad that they may see their need forGod’s grace; and, secondly, to make the righteous glad in the light of God’sgrace. Anyone who seeks to imitate such a ministry will know very quickly that,apart from God’s grace, it is humanly impossible not to fall into the errordenounced by the Lord through Ezekiel! But reading any of Watson’s books willreveal his meticulous attempt to do as he purposed.

The present excerpt is taken from a book, which was written by Watson, with aparticular eye on the making the child of God joyful in Christ, but he wouldnot allow the unbeliever to gain a wrong impression that all things will workfor good to them too! Providentially, this book was written in the year thatWatson and two thousand other ministers were ejected from the Church of Englandand exposed to severe hardship and suffering on account of their refusal toconform and submit to the idolatrous compromises of the state church. Thisbears silent testimony of the author’s firm conviction in what he is seeking toteach us.

—J.J. Lim
21 April 2002