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William Cowper
William Cowper (November 15, 1731 – April 25, 1800) was an English preacher, poet, and hymn writer whose deeply personal ministry and literary contributions made him a pivotal figure in 18th-century evangelicalism. Born in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, to Rev. John Cowper, rector of Great Berkhamsted, and Ann Donne, he was the fourth of seven children, though only he and his brother John survived infancy. His mother’s death in 1737 at age six left a lasting wound, shaping his melancholic faith. Educated at Westminster School (1742–1748), Cowper trained as a lawyer, called to the bar in 1754, but never practiced, crippled by severe depression and anxiety—exacerbated by a failed nomination to a parliamentary clerkship in 1763, which led to a suicide attempt and asylum stay at St. Albans. Cowper’s preaching career emerged informally after his conversion in 1764, when reading Romans 3:25 at the asylum brought him peace, convincing him of God’s grace. Settling in Olney, Buckinghamshire, in 1767 with the Morley family, he joined forces with Rev. John Newton, curate of Olney Parish Church. Though not ordained, Cowper preached through hymns and personal ministry, co-authoring the Olney Hymns (1779) with Newton, contributing 67 works including “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood” and “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”—penned amid recurring mental breakdowns, including a 1773 crisis where he believed God damned him. His sermons, delivered in prayer meetings and to villagers, reflected his fragile yet profound trust in divine mercy.
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William Cowper preaches about the omnipresence of Jesus, emphasizing that wherever His people gather to seek Him, He is present, sanctifying the place. He highlights the importance of inviting Jesus into our minds and hearts, allowing Him to dwell within us and accompany us wherever we go. Cowper calls upon Jesus, the Shepherd, to renew His mercies among His followers, inviting His saving presence into their midst to strengthen their faith and sweeten their burdens through prayer.
On Opening a Place for Social Prayer
Jesus, where'er thy people meet, There they behold thy mercy-seat; Where'er they seek thee thou art found, And ev'ry place is hallow'd ground. For thou, within no walls confin'd, Inhabitest the humble mind; Such ever bring thee, where they come, And going, take thee to their home. Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few! Thy former mercies here renew; Here, to our waiting hearts, proclaim The sweetness of thy saving name. Here may we prove the pow'r of pray'r, To strengthen faith, and sweeten care; To teach our faint desires to rise, And bring all heav'n before our eyes. Behold! At thy commanding word, We stretch the curtain and the cord; Come thou, and fill this wider space, And help us with a large increase. Lord, we are few, but thou art near; Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear; Oh rend the heav'ns, come quickly down, And make a thousand hearts thine own!
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William Cowper (November 15, 1731 – April 25, 1800) was an English preacher, poet, and hymn writer whose deeply personal ministry and literary contributions made him a pivotal figure in 18th-century evangelicalism. Born in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, to Rev. John Cowper, rector of Great Berkhamsted, and Ann Donne, he was the fourth of seven children, though only he and his brother John survived infancy. His mother’s death in 1737 at age six left a lasting wound, shaping his melancholic faith. Educated at Westminster School (1742–1748), Cowper trained as a lawyer, called to the bar in 1754, but never practiced, crippled by severe depression and anxiety—exacerbated by a failed nomination to a parliamentary clerkship in 1763, which led to a suicide attempt and asylum stay at St. Albans. Cowper’s preaching career emerged informally after his conversion in 1764, when reading Romans 3:25 at the asylum brought him peace, convincing him of God’s grace. Settling in Olney, Buckinghamshire, in 1767 with the Morley family, he joined forces with Rev. John Newton, curate of Olney Parish Church. Though not ordained, Cowper preached through hymns and personal ministry, co-authoring the Olney Hymns (1779) with Newton, contributing 67 works including “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood” and “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”—penned amid recurring mental breakdowns, including a 1773 crisis where he believed God damned him. His sermons, delivered in prayer meetings and to villagers, reflected his fragile yet profound trust in divine mercy.