Cowper’s insight on the nature of sanctification and salvation is noteworthy. The earlier stanzas show an understanding of, or “seeing,” his sin. He points out the insufficiency of his merit, and the heavy slavish burden of the law. And then, as the text progresses, he points to the free Grace of God, meriting to mankind the righteousness of Christ. Then he expresses the realization that this substitution has pardoned the believer from his debt, and has elevated his status from “slave” to “son.” Cowper shows us that salvation is accomplished through faith alone, by the work of Christ himself. And he also sheds light on what it means to be sanctified.

 
William Cowper (pronounced COO-per) was the son of an Anglican clergyman and well-educated at Westminster School. He was also a man given to severe bouts of depression throughout his life. He first began to experience these bouts after he was called to the bar as a member of the Middle Temple in 1754, meaning he was being educated as a lawyer, or barrister, at one of the Inns of Court. He was offered the clerkship of the journals of the House of Lords in 1763, an administrative position that serves the judicial branch of the upper house of the British Parliament. Cowper became overwhelmed with his position, and other circumstances too lengthy to mention, and became severely depressed. After being counseled by his cousin Martin Madam, a minister, he was referred to an asylum for treatment. Dr. Cotton’s in St. Albans is where Cowper received treatment, spiritual guidance, and it is where he became converted.

After his stay at the asylum, he and the widow of a prominent minister moved to Olney at the invitation of John Newton, the parish minister. In return for room and board Cowper became an unpaid curate to Newton’s parish. The two became life-long friends. Newton, realizing Cowper’s skill as a poet, suggested that they collaborate to write a book of hymns for day to day use in his church. They both sought to compose hymns that could be easily understood and easily sung and remembered. The resulting work is the Olney Hymns. From this great work we derive such hymns as God Moves in a Mysterious Way, Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, and Amazing Grace.

Cowper’s contribution to the hymnal, though smaller than Newton’s, was no less significant. Love Constraining to Obedience is a hymn text penned for the Olney Hymns by William Cowper between 1772 – 1773. It is found in the third book of the Olney Hymns, hymns on “The Spiritual Life”. Even though the vernacular in this text is almost 250 years old, it is still plain to see this man’s skill as a poet. For example, in the first stanza, Cowper’s personification of nature to mean “our own efforts” and “our own understanding” is just one of many beautiful poetic devices.

No strength of nature can suffice
To serve the LORD aright;
And what she has, she misapplies,
For want of clearer light.

How long beneath the law I lay
In bondage and distress!
I toiled the precept to obey,
But toiled without success.

Then to abstain from outward sin
Was more than I could do;
Now, if I feel its pow’r within,
I feel I hate it too.

Then all my servile works were done
A righteousness to raise;
Now, freely chosen in the Son,
I freely choose his ways.

What shall I do was then the word,
That I may worthier grow?
What shall I render to the LORD?
Is my enquiry now.

To see the Law by CHRIST fulfilled,
And hear his pard’ning voice;
Changes a slave into a child,
And duty into choice.

Cowper drew his subject matter for this hymn from his own meditation on Romans 3. Surely he drew from others subconsciously, as well as from his own experience, but he published a reference to Romans 3:31, along with this text, in the Olney Hymnal. Romans 3:19-20 says, “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” If the Apostle Paul were to stop there, then Cowper’s hymn would cease at the 2nd stanza. But Paul goes on to end the chapter with these words, “…since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” And so Cowper’s text ends with the triumphant declaration that Christ has fulfilled the requirement of the law! And that through faith we receive his pardon, giving us freedom. Freedom as a son of God. One who performs their good works as loving choice and not out of obligation! What sweet news!

Cowper’s insight on the nature of sanctification and salvation is noteworthy. The earlier stanzas show an understanding of, or “seeing,” his sin. He points out the insufficiency of his merit, and the heavy slavish burden of the law. And then, as the text progresses, he points to the free Grace of God, meriting to mankind the righteousness of Christ. Then he expresses the realization that this substitution has pardoned the believer from his debt, and has elevated his status from “slave” to “son.” Cowper shows us that salvation is accomplished through faith alone, by the work of Christ himself. And he also sheds light on what it means to be sanctified. To Cowper, and he was not the only one of his day to think this, becoming more like Christ was fundamentally a work of the Spirit to change our perspective. To “see” our depravity as great, and profound. And then to “see” the fulfillment of all things in Christ. And by “see” he doesn’t simply mean, “to understand.” He means also to “feel.” We cannot move toward the salve of the atonement until we feel in our flesh the futility and despair of self-effort. When all our attempts at goodness fail, we see the law fulfilled, and we feel the warmth of His pard’ning voice!

Here are a few resources that may be helpful to you. The Olney Hymnal is available for free as a pdf. A simple google search will yield numerous options for downloading this work. The website where I got the pdf was www.amazinggracemovie.com. Also, there are two great tunes for this hymn. The tune we sing at Southwood is from the Indelible Grace catalog. You can find it, along with loads of other hymns and resources, at www.igracemusic.com. Lastly, I came across a new version of this hymn written by a band from Seattle, WA called Wayfarer. For those of you “Indy” kids out there, Wayfarer sounds similar to the Fleet Foxes. Their hymn arrangements are simple but they build into explosive joyful choruses. You can find their music at wayfarerseattle.bandcamp.com.

This article appeared on Southwood Presbyterian Church’s website and is used with permission.