Wesley Corpus

Hymns and Sacred Poems (1742)1 Baker list, 54 Editorial Introduction: This is the third (and last) volume issued jointly by John and Charles Wesley in the Hymns and Sacred Poems series.2 It is again clear that John provided the preface, and that he saw it through the press at Bristol (where he was staying November-December of 1741 recovering from an illness). John was likely the translator of the one new German hymn included in this volume. He was almost certainly also the author of "The Lord's Prayer Paraphrased." Charles Wesley is the presumed author of the vast majority of the remaining compositions. The only item appearing in this collection that had been published previously is Charles's hymn "Pleading the Promise of Sanctification," which had been appended to John's 1741 sermon on Christian Perfection see "Promise of Sanctification" (1741). While this volume was dated 1742, advertising makes clear it was actually released in late December 1741. A more significant dating issue applies to the second edition. Some early copies were released with the date 1743, clearly an error because the volume included a catalogue that listed items published in late 1744. The volume was actually being printed in December 1744, and when the error was caught the remaining volumes were assigned the date 1745. This third in the HSP series was reprinted again in 1756, the same year as the final reprint of the combined HSP (1739/40). None in the series were reprinted after that point because Methodist worship relied increasingly on two alternative collections that John Wesley had introduced: Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1753) and Select Hymns, with Tunes Annext (1761). The most popular hymns from the HSP series were included in these collections. Editions: John and Charles Wesley. Hymns and Sacred Poems. Bristol: Farley, 1742. 2nd Bristol: Farley, 1743; actually misdated copies of following 2nd Bristol: Farley, 1745. 3rd London, 1756.