Wesley Corpus

Funeral Hymns (1746)1 Baker list, 115 Editorial Introduction: In eighteenth-century English spirituality the life of a Christian in this world was generally seen as a pilgrimage, with death bringing release from our probationary state into the reward of the afterlife. Charles Wesley was deeply shaped by this perspective, often commenting at funerals about how he envied the dead, who had reached their peace. Of course, this assumed that they had lived as faithful pilgrims. Not only did Charles share this spirituality of the faithful life, the good death and the glorious afterlife; he repeatedly gave it poetic expression. He made a regular practice of writing hymns on the occasion of the death of friends or prominent members of the Methodist movement. These hymns comment on their faithful lives and affirm their translation into the blessed hope of the Christian departed. An early set of examples was published in HSP (1742), 124-31. Then, in 1746, Charles issued a volume devoted entirely to Funeral Hymns. Several of the hymns in this collection are general in nature, not identifying a particular person. They were intended to be used broadly in celebrating the good death of the faithful and preparing the living for their own death. Hymn 5 proved to be particularly popular among the Methodist people. The collection enjoyed steady sales, running through eight editions in England and Ireland through the next four decades. Editions: Charles Wesley. Funeral Hymns London: Strahan, 1746. 2nd np, 1746?. 3rd Dublin: Power, 1747. 3rd London: Henry Cock, 1753. 4th London, 1765. 5th Bristol: Pine, 1770. 6th London: Hawes, 1776. 7th London: Paramore, 1784. Last updated: 23 March 2010. Table of Contents Hymn I Hymn II Hymn III Hymn IV. (For One Just Departing) Hymn V. (On Sight of a Corpse) Hymn VI Hymn VII Hymn VIII Hymn IX Hymn X. (On the Death of Mrs. A. C.) Hymn XI. (On the Death of E. B. of Kingswood) Hymn XII. (On the Death of Mrs. F. C.) Hymn XIII Hymn XIV Hymn XV Hymn XVI Page 2 Hymn I.