Wm. Cowper, for many years a close friend and associate of the devoted Christian, John Newton, of Olney, England, was, like him, a sweet singer of hymns of prayer and praise.
Not until he was thirty-three years old did Cowper find peace in the Savior's love. For a long time he had thought he was too wicked—that it was impossible for him to be saved.
One day in July, 1764, he was sitting in his garden with the precious Word of God before him. Idly turning the pages his attention was arrested by Romans 3:24, 2524Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:24‑25): "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath sent forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”
The light of the gospel contained in these wonderful words illuminated Cowper's darkened, groping spirit. By faith he received the Savior and his soul found rest. Here we give you his own words expressing what he felt at that happy moment: “Immediately I received strength to believe," he says, "and the full beams of the Sun of Righteousness shone upon me. I saw the sufficiency of the atonement that Christ had made, my pardon in His blood, and the completeness of my justification. In a moment I believed and received the gospel.”
Yes! In the moment we believe "the gospel of our salvation" we do "pass from death unto life.”
Reader, are you anxious to be saved? One look by faith at Christ and you are made a child of God. By faith right now you may receive Him to the saving of your soul. Then you too will joyfully sing with William Cowper:
“Of all the gifts Thy love bestows,
Thou Giver of all good!
Not heaven itself a richer knows
Than the Redeemer's blood.
Faith, too, that trusts the blood through grace,
From that same love we gain;
Else, sweetly, as it suits our case,
The gift had been in vain.
We praise Thee, and would praise Thee more,
To Thee our all we owe;
The precious Savior, and the power
That makes Him precious too.”