You may never have read of Joseph Swain. His life was a short blip on the radar of eternity- only 35 years. But God used Joseph’s short life to comfort a distressing soul today- namely my own.
You see, Joseph became a Baptist pastor in 1791 Birmingham, England, after working as an engraver for the majority of his life. His engravings were stunning, but upon hearing the gospel and being baptized by Rev. Dr. Rippon, he devoted his life to pastoral ministry and began to employ a new art; an art that would serve his congregation and many others well: he began writing hymns that point us to Jesus and remind us of the sufficiency of His work the gospel.
It was one such hymn that called my soul to look to Jesus again today, called “Come Ye Souls by Sin Afflicted”.
Our lives may be short, but no life is wasted spent in the service of Jesus and His Church. God used the short life of Joseph Swain to pierce my heart with the life-giving, sin-liberating, self-effacing, God-glorifying message of Christ and Him crucified 220 years later.
Here is Indelible Grace’s version of it with music by Kevin Twit.
I encourage you to sing along and be refreshed by this iteration of the gospel.
-Andy
1. Come ye souls by, sin afflicted,
Bowed with fruitless, sorrow down;
By the broken, law convicted,
Through the cross, behold the crown;
Look to Jesus; Look to Jesus; Look to Jesus;
Mercy flows through Him alone.
2. Take His easy, yoke and wear it;
Love will make your, obedience sweet;
Christ will give you, strength to bear it,
While His grace, shall guide your feet
Safe to glory, Safe to glory, Safe to glory,
Where His ransomed captives meet.
3. Blessèd are the, eyes that see Him,
Blest the ears that, hear His voice;
Blessèd are the, souls that trust Him,
And in Him, alone rejoice;
His commandments, His commandments, His commandments
Then become their happy choice.
4. Sweet as home to, pilgrims weary,
Light to newly, opened eyes,
Like full springs in, deserts dreary,
Is the rest, the cross supplies;
All who taste it, All who taste it, All who taste it
Shall to rest immortal rise.
Tag: Look to Jesus; Look to Jesus; Look to Jesus;
Mercy flows through Him alone.
http://hymnbook.igracemusic.com/hymns/come-ye-souls-by-sin-afflicted
http://www.hymnary.org/person/Swain_Joseph