All Is Well
Mark vii, 37. He hath done all things well.
God’s way is in the sea, and his path in the mighty waters. The dispensations of his providence are sometimes bright, and sometimes shrouded in darkness. They are often so mysterious and so unlooked-for, that it requires a state of mind not always enjoyed, to take in the whole extent of them, and be satisfied that “All is well.”
All is well! A soothing, cheering cry is this, when the watchman utters it, in his solitary walks of vigilance and care through the crovded and slumbering city; and when the warder utters it, as he patrols the walls of the castle that borders on the enemy’s country! It is indeed a delightful state of mind to feel this truth; and when we look abroad over the world, and over the universe God has made, to have the inward and calm assurance that “he hath done all things well.” It is the highest privilege of a good man, in the midst of the most violent tempests that assail his earthly hopes, with his hand on the truth and promises of God, and his eyes directed toward heaven, to be satisfied that All is well. Like the fabled stone of the alchemist which turned everything it touched into gold, this is a confidence, a faith in God, which changes
ALL IS WELL, Ug
night into day, and transforms evil into good. Let us attempt both to explain and prove this great truth.
I. Our first object is to explain it.
Men are very partial and poor judges of the works and ways of God. We have no evidence that even the pure and lofty minds of angels fully understand them; for “who by searching can find out God, who can find out the Almighty to perfection?” It is only the infinite mind of God himself that comprehends all that he does; that views everything in its true light, because it sees everything as it is, and in all its connections and consequences. He alone appreciates everything according to its real worth, because “he sees the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.”
When the Patriarch Jacob was bereaved of his dearest earthly hopes, he exclaimed, in great gloom and depression of mind, “All these things are against me!” But he could see but a little ways. He could not see far enough to know what the end of them would be, nor how easily God could govern, and direct, and overrule “all these things,” and make them ‘• work together for his good.” What is well in our view is not always well in God’s. What often appears to us to be our best seasons, prove in the end to have been our worst; and what often appear to us to be our worst seasons, prove to be our best. What is best for us to-day, may not be the best for us to-morrow. What is best for us in time, may not be best for us in eternity. What is best for our worldly prosperity and comfort, may not be for the real and substantial good of our immortal souls.
All is well that ends well. All is well that makes us in the end the most holy, the most useful, and the most happy. All is well that establishes us in the faith and hope of the Gospel; that promotes our sanctification, and fits us for death and heaven. All is well that concurs in conducting us safely through the difficulties and dangers of this short life, to “the rest that remaineth for the people of God.”
Nor is this all. God not unfrequently makes his people suffer, not for their own sakes only, but for others’ sakes. And it is well when he does this. Job was a great sufferer, and so was Paul; but the narrative of their sufferings, and of their spirit under God’s dealings wdth them, has made thousands holier and happier than they would have been, had these holy men never have been such sufferers. “None of us liveth to himself, and none of us dieth to himself It matters little what we enjoy, or suffer, in the present world, if we thereby best promote the mutual and collective benefit of our fellow- men, advance the kingdom of God in the earth, promote the enlargement, stability, and purity of his cause, and glorify his great name. All good men form a part of that kingdom; if that kingdom prospers, and prospers the more through their toil, and self-denial, and suffering; not only is it well, but it is better for them themselves, than though they had nevr thus toiled and suffered. When the saints of God reach their Father’s house, and are with Christ in heaven, and there see that, through those very dispensations of which they complained on earth, others have been brought to those “many mansions,” and they themselves are compensated a thousand fold for all their sufferings; how will they wonder at their short-sightedness, in not having seen beforehand that it was all for the best!
God always makes the means he uses answer the ends he intends they shall answer. He means well by everything he does; and he does well because he never fails to accomplish the end he has in view. He does not now tell us all the reasons for all that he does; but they are wise and good reasons, and though we may not know them now, we shall know them hereafter. He does ceil things well; — prosperous and adverse, small and great, everywhere and always. Single events, and those which, when isolated and taken apart, are gloomy and distressing, collectively and in their final issues, are full of light and joy.
Thus much for the explanation of the truth, that he hath done all things well.
II. Let us turn our attention, in the second place, to the proof of it. Our proof shall be confined to the following considerations: —
1. In the first place, let us look at the perfection of the Divine goodness. “God is good, and he does good.” ‘’ He is good unto all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.” There is not one malignant or evil affection in his nature. There is not one emotion even of cold indifference. ‘* God is love;” in all its purity, in all its expansiveness, in all its ardor and intensity, God is love. His goodness shines forth in the heavens, is showered down from the clouds, and overlays the earth and sea. It stoops to guilty man, and visits him with one continued flow of blessings. Like the sun in the heavens, his goodness everywhere sheds its benign influence to warm and animate, and make the earth on which we tread glow with its sacred fires.
He who sent his Son to seek and to save that which was lost, must be a great and good Being. No man can go and stand by the cross of Christ, and doubt God’s goodness. No Christian man can think of that love which, when he was an enemy, reconciled him to God by the death of his Son, and then question his goodness. Look where he will, he sees evidence of it. Go where he will, — to the Bible, to the throne of grace, to the world, to scenes of joy or woe, among enemies, or among friends, and he sees, he feels that God is good. If there is a truth in the Bible, in relation to which it were impiety to cherish a doubt, it is the truth that God is good. We cannot think of God, except as a Being of perfect and infinite goodness. We can form no other idea of him; the human mind starts back with horror at any other suggestion; we never speak of him, we cannot speak of him otherwise than as good. We admire his goodness; we adore, we praise it. Those surely know little of God, who may be tempted to think that he is not good enough to do all things well.
The proof of this truth is derived,
2. In the second place, from the perfection of the Divine knowledge. He is not only good enough to do all things well, but he knows how to do this. We do not know, nor see how it can be done. Our fellow-men, even the wisest of them, do not know. Angels in heaven do not know. If it were put to the greatest and wisest of all created beings to control and direct any one event, so as to secure the best and happiest results, he would confess his ignorance. Much less would he know how to do all tlmigs well.
But God knows. His understanding is infinite; he comprehends all creatures and events at one intuitive view; he knows what is best to be done in every possible circumstance and exigency. He feels no difficulty,
he has no embarrassment, no doubt, or hesitation. Nothing takes him by surprise, but he “is wonderful in counsel,” and “taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” It was his wisdom that sent Joseph into Egypt, and Israel into Babylon; that presided over the councils of Herod and Pontius Pilate, when they were assembled “to do what his hand and counsel determined before to be done.’* These were fearful and wicked events, and men ‘* meant them for evil.” But God “meant them for good.” He knows what is best to be done, and how to conduct all the affairs of his government so as to do all things well.
We prove this truth,
3. In the third place, from the perfection of the Divine power. There is no restraint upon his power, but he is able to do all things well. There is no instance in which he cannot do this. A failure in his power were the most disastrous intelligence that could be announced. We cannot conceive of his power faiUng in one instance, without fearing that it may prove incompetent in a thousand instances, and those which form the most important crises in his government, and the welfare of his creatures.
But there is no failure. “Power belongeth unto God;” it is his high prerogative; and that, without which, he is no longer God. “None can stay his hand.” He is “the Almighty God.” He is “wise in heart and mighty in strength: and none can say unto him, What doest thou?” The elements, the times, the seasons, the winds, the waters, the occurrences of every day and hour, the history of the rich and the poor, of monarchs and their subjects, of the church and the world, of the living and the dead, all proclaim the resistless energy of his power. The views, the hearts, the conduct of men, of angels, and even of devils proclaim it.
Great events are often brought about by little causes. It is a beautiful view of God’s power, which sees it thus controlling the minute, as well as the vast, so that no link in the chain may be broken, or out of its place, and no wheel in the complicated machinery may move either faster or slower, nor receive any other direction than that which he gives it. The manna and the quails in the desert — the water from the rock in Horeb — the ravens that fed Elijah — the widow’s cruse of oil — the worms that fed upon the living flesh of Herod — the sparrows on the house-top — the hairs of our head — the lot that is cast into the lap — all bear testimony to his uncontrollable and absolute power over all things, and show that he is able to do all things well. If God, then, is good enough to do all things well; and if he has the knowledge and the power so to do; we may be confident that his work is perfect.
But we prove this truth,
4. In the fourth place, from Ms own declarations. It is a great and important truth to be taught and believed; and therefore he has solemnly asserted it in his word. In the Bible we find declarations like the following:-“He is a Rock; his work is perfect.” “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all.” “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever; nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God doeth it that men might fear before him.” “He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.” “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” “All things work together for good to them that love God, and are the called according to his purpose.”
It is enough that God himself makes these assertions. And there is a multitude of, others like them. We have no stronger evidence than his word. “Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
Though further proof is needless, this truth may be proved,
5. In the fifth place, hj facts and experience. The darkest events in the world have actually turned out for good. Many a time have men acknowledged this, and given glory to God. They have triumphed in that which once covered them with mourning, and many a time have been constrained to say with joy, “Dominion is with him!” — “The Lord God omnipotent reigneth, and let the earth rejoice!” — “To the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever!” The private history of individuals and the general history of the world, are everywhere expressive of this great truth. There is nothing which the history of nations brings out more clearly, than the wisdom of God in overruling the darkest and most untoward events, and turning them to good and valuable account. God makes even the wrath of man praise him. When we read the history of the Jews, of the Assyrians, of the Greeks and Romans, of the Northern tribes of Europe, of the modern nations of the earth, not excluding our own; we cannot fail to remark how wonderfully the goodness, wisdom, and power of Almighty God are there disclosed, and for the purpose of accomplishing his own most wise and righteous, and benevolent designs. Two mighty and antagare seen in the history of our world — the principle of light and the principle of darkness — a good principle and an evil — God and the great Adversary — God and the proud and wicked heart of man; and though it sometimes seems as though the evil was dominant, yet a thoughtful mind will see that God is on the throne, and that even the wickedest of the wicked are but the saw and the hammer in the hands of this great Master Builder of the spiritual temple.
So it has been in every age. So it is now. And has it not been so with you? Does not your own experience, up to the present hour, show that “he hath done all things well?” Has not what has seemed to you as evil, resulted in good; and what you thought a trial, turned out to be a blessing in disguise? Have not the most painful providences, and the bitterest cup, been the means of humbling you, and making you feel your own weakness; of making you distrust yourselves and trust in the living God? Every Christian can say, I have often complained of God’s dealings with me; but they have drawn me to my Saviour; they have led me to appreciate his grace and faithfulness; and by a new and sweet experience of his love, with a more child-like simplicity, they have taught me to lean on his almighty arm! What good man, save the sins he has committed, if he has a just view of things, would alter a single event in his past history? And even his sins have been, or will be, overruled for God’s glory.
Most devoutly is it to be wished, that this truth, that God does all things well, were more generally and more deeply felt. O how it would tranquillize our fears, give quietness and joy to our submission, vigor to our hopes, and light up our dark dungeon! How sweet to feel it amid the stormy voyage of life, and on its angry ocean, where he hfteth up the waves, and then says to them, “Peace, be still!” How much happier should we be, if we could but learn to go out from ourselves, and out from this poor world, for the sources of our peace and joy! It is a portion above the heritage of the noble and the mighty, to be able to say, My all is in the hands of God, who knows all, who can do all, and who will make all things work together for my good.
Why should the care and faithfulness of your Heavenly Father ever be distrusted? Why not stay yourselves upon him, “casting all your care upon him, knowing that he careth for you?” Why not say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me!” The Lord God “is a sun and shield, he wall give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
Ye who are strangers to the living God, “acquaint yourselves now with him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto you.” Go to him; go to him as unworthy sinners; go to him in the name of Jesus Christ, his Son; and unworthy as you are, make the God of heaven your friend. “Delight thyself in the Lord, and he will give thee the desires of thy heart.” It is not the greatest evil that can come upon you, to have your earthly expectations defeated. With a heart trusting in God, this you can endure without a sigh. You may lose everything which the world can give; yet all may be well. No: the greatest evil that can come upon us is, to lose the divine favor; to neglect the great salvation; to live and die without God and without hope. This salvation accepted and enjoyed, you are safe. You are happy, “blow high or blow low.” You are happy, come what will. You will be tranquil in the midst of danger, and calm amid the storm. When that dark and fearful hour of death shall come, in which no earthly voice can whisper peace to you, a voice from heaven shall whisper to you and say, All is well! And the sweet response of a still, small voice from within your own placid bosom, shall say, All is well! And when this corruption shall put on incorruption, and this mortal immortality; when the Son of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with him, and all the tears which life has shed shall be wiped away; the blessed announcement shall be renewed, confirmed, and perpetuated, All is well! And to the Triune God be praise forever. Amen.