The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, William Cowper
The Life of William Cowper, who died Ano Christi 1619.
WIlliam Cowper was born in Edenborough, His birth and education.and at eight years old was sent by his Father to Dunbar-School, where in four years he learn'd the whole course of Grammar, and profited above his equals, and at that time did God begin to reveal himself to him. Many times when he was in the School he used to …ift up his heart unto God,His conversion begging of him knowledge and understanding; and alwaies as he went to Church, he sent up this ejaculation to heaven, Lord bow nine ear that I may hear thy word.
At his entry into his thirteenth year, his father sent for him home to Edenburgh, and presently after he went to Saint Andrews, He goes to St. Andrews.where he continued to his sixteenth year in the study of Philosophy, but made no great progress therein; yet the seed of grace was stil working in him, inclining him to a careful hearing and penning of Sermons, and other Theological Lectures.
During his abode at Saint Andrews, His tentations.Sathan, working upon corrupt nature, sought oft to trap him in his snares, but as himself testifies,Gods mercy. the Lord in mercy forgave the vanities, and ignorances of his youth, and preserved him from such falls, as might have made him a … to the Saints, and a reproach to his enemies.
At the Age of sixteen years, he returned to his parents at Edenburgh, who propos'd to him sundry courses of life; but his heart was stil enclined to the study of the holy Scriptures, whereupon he resolved to goe into England, He goes into England.and the Lord provided him a place at Hoddesdon, eighteen miles from London (just as he had spent all his money which he brought with him out of Scotland) where he was entertained by one Mr.Gods providence. Gutherie a Scotchman to assist him in teaching of a School. There he remained three quarters of a year, and then having occasion to goe to London, he was unexspectedly called to the service of Master Hugh Broughton, He serves Mr. H. Broughton.with whom he continued a year and a half, and daily exercised himself in the study of Divinity.
At nineteen years old he returned again to Edenburgh, His return to Edenborough.where he lived with his elder brother [then one of the Ministers in that City] who much furthered him in his former studies; and at last he was required to give a proof of his gifts privately, which he did in the New Church before Master Robert Pont, He preaches privately.and Master Robert Rollock, and som… others, by whom he was commanded to preach in publick also.
Being twenty years old he was sent by the Authority of the General Assembly,His calling to the Ministry. which then was met at Edenburgh, to be the Pastor at Bothkenner in Sterlingshire; but when he came thither, he found in the Church, besides ruinous wals, neither roof, nor doors, nor pulpit, nor seats, nor windows, yet it pleased God to give such a blessing to his Ministry,Power of the Word. that within half a year the Parishioners of their own accord, built, and adorned the Church in as good a quality as any round about it.
There he continued seven or eight years, yet subject to great bodily infirmities,He is sickly. by reason of the wetnesse of the soil, and the moistness of the air; and in that time d…d God begin to acquaint him with his terrors,Assaulted with …e…ations. and with inward tentations, so that his life was almost wasted with heaviness, yet thereby he learned more, and more to know Christ Jesus.
About that time there was a General Assembly of the Church at Perth, unto which some that lived in the North of Scotland sent to desire that a Minister might be sent unto them; whereupon the Assembly appointed Master Cowper for that place, and accordingly wrote to him by Master Patrick Simpson, His remove.who coming to Sterling, delivered to him the Letters from the Assembly, and those from the Town, containing his calling to the work of the Ministry in that place: And so shortly after the Town sent their Commissioners to transport him and his family thither.
In that place he continued doing the work of the Lord for ninteen years together,His painfulnes in the Ministry where he was a comfort to the best, and a wound to the worser sort. Besides the Sabbath dayes, he chose thrice a week to convene the people together in the Evenings, viz. Wednesdayes, Fridayes, and Saturdayes, for a preparation to the Sabbath; upon which daies they had no preaching in the morning; concerning which meetings himself writes,The success of his Ministry. That it would have done a Christians heart good, to have seen those glorious, and joyfull assemblies, to have heard the zealous cryings to God amongst that people, with sighings and tears, and melting hearts, and mourning eyes: And concerning himself he saith, My witnsse is in heaven, that the love of Jesus and his people, His zeal.made continual preaching my pleasure, and I had no such joy as in doing his work. And besides that he preached five times a week,His works. he penned also whatsoever hee preached, many of which holy and godly Sermons are extant in print.
All the time of his abode there (except some little intermissions, and breathing times) the Lord still exercised him with inward tentation, His tentationsand great variety of spiritual combats, the end of all which (through Gods mercy) was Ioy unspeakable, as himself testifies. Joy unspeakable.Yea once (saith he) in greatest extreamitie of horror, and anguish of spirit, when I had utterly given over, and looked for nothing but confusion, suddenly there did shine, in the very twinkling of an eye, the bright, and lightsome countenance of God, proclaming peace, and confirming it with invincible reasons: O what a change was there in a moment? the silly soul that was even now at the brink of the pit, looking for nothing but to be swallowed up, was instantly raised up to heaven to have fellowship with God in Christ Jesus, and from this day forward my soul was never troubled with such extremity of terrors: This confirmation was given unto me on a Saturday in the morning; there found I the power of Religion, the certaintie of the word, there was I touched with such a lively sense of a Divinitie, and power of a Godhead, in mercy reconciled with man, and with me in Christ, as I trust my soul shall never forget: Glory, glory, glory be to the joyfull deliverer of my soul out of all adversities for ever.
In the middest of these wrestlings with God he wanted not combats with wicked men also,His outward troubles. but the greatnesse of his inward conflicts, made him lightly regard all their outward contradictions, and to esteem them but as the bitings of a Flea. It was no marvel to see Satan stir up his wicked instruments to molest him, since he professed himself a disquieter of him, and his Kingdom. Yet this much supported him, that he never had a controversie with any of them but for their sins: And the Lord assisting him, the power of the Word did so hammer down their pride,Power of the word. that they were all of them at last brought to an acknowledgement of their evil wayes.
But at length (as God turned the heart of Pharoah, and his people from the Israelites, when the time drew on for their remove) so by little and little did the zeal and love of most of that people fall away,The apostasie of his people. so that his last conflict was, not with the prophane, but with Justitiaries, and such as were unrebukeable in their lives. These men were stuffed with such pride, self-conceit, disdain, and intolerable contempt, that thereby they were carried further from their duty then any of the former; and they which should have been his greatest comfort, were his greatest cross.
Presently hereupon God called him to the Government of the Churches in Galloway, He is made Bishop of Ga…loway.in the South-West parts of the kingdom, being chosen by the Assembly, and presented by the King thereunto. This was done without his privity, or ambitious us seeking after it; yea, he was so far from it, that eighteen weeks passed betwixt the Kings Presentation,His hum…lity. and his Acceptation of …t. In that place he was very carefull to advance the Gospel, and to adorn his Ministery: Concerning the frame of his spirit thus he writes, My soul is alway in my hand, His desire of de…h.ready to be offered to my God: Where, or what kind of death God hath prepared for me, I know not: But sure I am there can no evil death befall him that lives in Christ, nor sudden death to a Christian Pilgrim, who (with Job) waits very hour for his change. Yea (saith he) many a daie have I sought it with tea…es, not out of impatience, Death why desired.distrust, or perturbation, …ut because I am weary of sin, and fearful to fall into it.
This faithful servant of God who had alwaies been faithful and painful in his Ministery, when sickness grew daily upon him,He grows sickly. was no way deficient in the duty of his ordinary preaching: Taking great pains also to perfect his work upon the Revelations, which he desired greatly to finish before his death. He had also much grief by reason of some that disturb'd the peace of the Church, which he alwaies sought to procure; so that his infirmity encreasing, he was compelled to keep home; yet as his weakness permitted, he applyed himself to revise his writings, and to dispose of his worldly estate,Preparation for death. that he might be ready for his passage, which every day he exspected; & some ten daies before his decease, he manifested to his friends, what great contentment he had in his approaching death.
Many repaired to him in his sickness, whom he entertained with most holy,His sicknesse. and divine conferences, expressing a great willingnesse to exchange this life for a better; and at last feeling his strength and spirits to decay (after he had conceived a most heavenly prayer in the company of those that were by) he desired to you to bed, in which also, after he had most devoutly commended himself unto Almighty God, hee tooke som… … rest. After which time he spake not many words, … failing, though his memory and understanding … and so about seven a clock at night he rendred … most quiet and peaceable manner An▪ Christi 1619.His death. Some of his private meditations were these.
Now my soul be glad; for at all parts of this prison the Lord hath set to his Pioners to loose thee: Head, feet, milt, and liver are fast failing; yea, the middle strength of the whole body, the stomach, is weakned long ago. Arise, make ready, shake off thy fetters, mount up from the body, and goe thy way.
I saw not my children when they were in the womb, yet there the Lord fed them without my knowledge;A sweet speech I shall not see them when I goe out of the body, yet shall they not want a Father. Death is somwhat drierie, and the streams of that Jordan between us and our Canaan run furiously, but they stand stil when the Ark comes. Let your Anchor be cast within the vail, and fastned on the Rock Jesus. Let the end of the threefold cord be buckled to the heart, so shall ye goe thorough.
His Works are bound up together in one volume.His works.
Soli Deo Gloria.