How well do I recall since childhood and through the years Opening the hymnal at the Song or Worship Leader's beckon to the words, "There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Emmanuel's veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains..." Those words were first penned in the late 1700's by William Cowper. While it would seem the words came from a heart flooded with grace, we are told that while Cowper found refuge in a fervent evangelical Christianity, the inspiration behind his much-loved hymns, he often experienced doubt and feared that he was doomed to eternal damnation. (Wikipedia). So fearful and bound was he that he even attempted to take his own life to relieve the torments of his mind and soul. Even his close friend, John Newton, who wrote "Amazing Grace," could not assuage his fears. In 1773, Cowper, experienced an attack of insanity, imagining not only that he was condemned to hell eternally, but that God was commanding him to make a sacrifice of his own life Wikipedia). I can only now wonder why words he penned after accepting the grace of God is not also found in pages of hymnals today...
Sin enslaved me many
years,
And led me bound and
blind;
Till at length a thousand
fears
Came swarming o'er my
mind.
"Where," said
I, in deep distress,
"Will these sinful
pleasures end?
How shall I secure my
peace
And make the Lord my
friend?"
Friends and ministers
said much
The gospel to enforce;
But my blindness still
was such,
I chose a legal course:
Much I fasted; watch'd,
and strove,
Scarce would shew my face
abroad,
Fear'd almost to speak or
move,
A stranger still to God.
Thus afraid to trust His
grace,
Long time did I rebel;
Till despairing of my
case,
Down at His feet I fell:
Then my stubborn heart He
broke,
And subdued me to His
sway;
By a simple word He
spoke,
"Thy sins are done
away."
Welcome Home to Grace, Mr. Cowper, Welcome Home!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment