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On  that day, there shall be a foutain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. - Zechariah 13:1

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. - Hebrews 9:22

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. - Revelation 1:5

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins; and sinners, plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains: lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains; and sinners, plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day; and there may I though vile as he, wash all my sins away: wash all my sins away, wash all my sins away; and there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood shall never lose its power, till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more: be saved, to sin no more; be saved, to sin no more; till all the ransomed church of God, be saved to sin no more.

 E’er since by faith I saw the stream thy flowing wounds supply, redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die: and shall be till I die, and shall be till I die; redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave, then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save: I’ll sing Thy power to save, I’ll sing Thy power to save; then in a nobler sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save.

William Cowper (pronounced Cooper) was born on November 26, 1731, to Rev. John and Anne Cowper. He was the first surviving child born to the couple.  When William was 6 years old, his mother died, and William was sent to Dr. Pittman's Boarding School. At the boarding school, young William was routinely harassed and bullied. In 1750, William enrolled in Westminster School to study law. For ten years he did not take his legal career seriously.  He fell in love with his cousin, Theodora Cowper and they became engaged. Their relationship lasted for 7 years, but there was never a wedding because of her father's disapproval. Since he was not allowed to marry Theodora, he sank into a severe, deep, dark depression, and diagnosed with melancholy. Later in 1763, William had an extensive background examination to take chambers in the House of Lords. This caused William to have deep depression, thoughts, and attempted suicide three times. He was admitted to an asylum and confined there for 18 months. In 1773, he suffered an attack of insanity after having had persistent dreams of eternal damnation, and thoughts of being rejected and dejected by God.  He eventually prayed and felt forgiven, saved, and began writing hymns. William became a Christian after 6 months in the asylum. William was discharged and went to live with Morley and Mary Unwin and their family. The family helped provide him some mental stability. In 1778, William suffered another insanity attack imagining that not only was he eternally condemned to hell, but that God was commanding him to sacrifice his own life. Mary devoted herself to helping William through his insanity attack, and he recovered. Because he was unstable, Mary suggested that he start writing, “The Progress of Error,” and wrote 7 other works.  These were all collected and published in 1782. William met John Newton through the Unwin family.  Together, William and John worked on the Olney Hymns which was published in 1779. William contributed 68 of the hymns that were published in the Olney Hymnal. His most famous hymns: "There is a Fountain", and “God Moves in a Mysterious Way".  In 1779, he wrote, “Praise for the Fountain Opened”, which was renamed, “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood”. William wrote poetry and his writing styles were influenced by Alfred Tennyson, William Wordsworth, and friend, Jane Austen.  Jane Austen lived nearby and told him a story that he turned into a ballad. The ballad is known as "The Journey of John Gilpin".  Jane jokingly recommended "The Task" which was about a sofa. His most famous writings:  "The Castaway", which was about his life, being bullied, and his mental breakdowns, and “To Mary".  After Morley passed away in a tragic riding accident, Mary and William lived together. Mary, who was like a mother to him, became an invalid in 1792. Four years later, Mary passed away. The trauma from Mary’s passing away, caused William to sink into a deep depression that he never recovered from. His health continued to decline, and he died of dropsy (edema) on April 25, 1800, at the age of 68.