Cowper and Newton: A Different Walk

Cowper	Newton
O! for a closer walk with God, A calm and heav’nly frame; A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb!	By faith in CHRIST I walk with God, With heav’n, my journeys’–end, in view; Supported by his staff and rod, My road is safe and pleasant too,
Where is the blessedness I knew When first I saw the LORD? Where is the soul–refreshing view Of JESUS, and his word?	I travel through a desert wide Where many round me blindly stray; But He vouchsafes to be my guide, And will not let me miss my way.
What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void, The world can never fill.	Though snares and dangers throng my path, And earth and hell my course withstand; I triumph over all by faith, Guarded by his Almighty hand.
Return, O holy Dove, return, Sweet messenger of rest; I hate the sins that made thee mourn, And drove thee from my breast.	The wilderness affords no food, But God for my support prepares; Provides me every needful good, And frees my soul from wants and cares.
The dearest idol I have known, Whate’er that idol be; Help me to tear it from thy throne, And worship only thee.	With him sweet converse I maintain, Great as he is I dare be free; I tell him all my grief and pain, And he reveals his love to me.
So shall my walk be close with God, Calm and serene my frame; So purer light shall mark the road That leads me to the Lamb.	Some cordial from his word he brings, Whene’er my feeble spirit faints; At once my soul revives and sings, And yields no more to sad complaints.
	I pity all that worldlings talk Of pleasures that will quickly end; Be this my choice, O Lord, to walk With thee, my Guide, my Guard, my Friend.

Cowper’s is Hymn #3 while Newton’s is Hymn #4 in the Olney Hymns.

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It is interesting to see how Newton commented on Genesis 5:24 and how Cowper did.  When reflecting upon Enoch’s walk with God all that Cowper can see at this moment is how woefully he falls short.  Newton sees the grace and pleasure of being held by the Lord’s hand. 

Both Cowper and Newton experience the brokenness of the world.  But they experience it differently.  Newton’s hymn here almost sounds like the Footprints poem.  Newton experiences the Lord always walking him through these trials.  Somewhere along the way the gospel really clicked in Newton’s heart and mind, and though he felt his sin deeply he felt the grace of God more deeply. 

Cowper on the other hand, felt grace deeply but he felt the depth of his sin more deeply.  Cowper’s frame was one that could never be satisfied.  (Perhaps some of this came from his always displeased father, though Newton had that too). 

When Cowper felt the weight of his sin he labored to “get rid of this idol” so that he could again have a close walk with the Lord.  When Newton experiences “sad complaints” or his feeble heart is weak he goes to the Lord and has a much different experience.  Cowper feels condemned.  Cowper sees God as being greatly displeased.  So he flees (yet continues to pray and depend on the Lord) to wrestle this wretched idol from his life.  Newton comes weakly to the throne of grace.  He lays everything bear before the Lord.  He is met with grace. 

Newton rested in the gospel.  It seems that Cowper seldom could. 

The difference in these men is probably less doctrinal than we would like to think.  It’s a much more complicated tale than that.  So, let us today pray for the Cowper’s of the world (in which I often am) that they might rest in the gospel. 

Grace Empowers Repentance

On man, in his own image made,
How much did GOD bestow?
The whole creation homage paid,
And owned him LORD, below!
 
He dwelt in Eden’s garden, stored
With sweets for every sense;
And there with his descending LORD
He walked in confidence.
 
But O! by sin how quickly changed!
His honor forfeited,
His heart, from God and truth, estranged,
His conscience filled with dread!
 
Now from his Maker’s voice he flees,
Which was before his joy:
And thinks to hide, amidst the trees,
From an All–seeing eye.
 
Compelled to answer to his name,
With stubbornness and pride
He cast, on God himself, the blame,
Nor once for mercy cried.
 
But grace, unasked, his heart subdued
And all his guilt forgave;
By faith, the promised seed he viewed,
And felt his pow’r to save.
 
Thus we ourselves would justify,
Though we the Law transgress;
Like him, unable to deny,
Unwilling to confess.
 
But when by faith the sinner sees
A pardon bought with blood;
Then he forsakes his foolish pleas,
And gladly turns to God.

Olney Hymns, Hymn 1, From Genesis 3

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The sixth stanza may be a tad fanciful.  We are not certain that “all his guilt” did God forgive.  But Newton is probably considering God making garments for Adam and Eve and clothing their shame.  We also are not sure how much of “the promised Seed he view’d”.  But we do know that God did proclaim to them that a Seed would come to rescue.

In the seventh stanza Newton reminds us that we are still like Adam.  Though we are obviously guilty we still try to come up with foolish pleas.  We are even bold enough to blame God for our insolence.  How often have I done this in my own life?  I know in my heart that I am guilty.  My conscience will not let me hide, and I go around contriving all sorts of stories and excuses to plead my innocence, all the while knowing that I cannot deny my guilt. 

Newton believes that when we see the remedy for our guilt we forsake our foolishness and turn to God.  The key to this statement is “by faith”.  It is with the eyes of faith that the sinner sees the provision of Christ.  Otherwise we will never gladly turn to God.  Faith, the kind that leads to sight, will enable and strengthen repentance.

The gospel strengthens repentance.  When I know that I am forgiven in Christ suddenly I have no need to hide behind my foolish pleas.  I see that God forgives so I can be honest about may failure.  My acceptance is already purchased. 

Remember this today, and don’t bother with these foolish pleas.  Fly to Jesus.