Wesley Corpus

As things settled down, John published an abridgment of his Leeds paper as a chapter in Preservative Against Unsettled Notions in Religion (1758) titled "Reasons against a Separation from the Church of England." While Charles appreciated this move, he desired to reenforce the point. So, in early 1760 he published two runs (10,000 copies) of Reasons against a Separation as a separate tract, appending to it seven "Hymns for the Use of the Methodist Preachers." While these hymns seek to encourage the preachers in their work of renewing the populace of England, they also make clear that this work is to remain within the Church of England! Like his Epistle to John Wesley (1755), Charles republished Reasons ... with Hymns in 1785, after John had ordained two lay preachers for the Methodists in North America. Editions: Charles Wesley. Reasons against a Separation from the Church of England ... with Hymns for the Preachers among the Methodists (so called), 13-22. London: Strahan, 1760. 2nd London: Strahan, 1760. Included in JW's Works (Bristol: Pine, 1773), vol 23 hymns on pp. 129-40. np, 1785. Table of Contents Hymn I Hymn II Hymn III Hymn IV Hymn V Hymn VI Hymn VII. The Preacher's Prayer for the Flock Page 13 2Manuscript versions appear in MS Preachers, 4-5; MS Preachers Extraordinary, 10-11; and MS Miscellaneous Hymns, 118-19. Hymn I.2 O Lord, our strength and righteousness, Our base, and head, and corner-stone, Our peace with God, our mutual peace, Unite, and keep thy servants one, That while we speak in Jesus' name, We all may speak, and think the same. That Spirit of love to each impart, That fervent mind, which was in thee, So shall we all our strength exert, In heart, and word, and deed agree T' advance the kingdom of thy grace, And spread thine everlasting praise. Page 14 3Manuscript versions appear in MS Preachers, 5-6; MS Preachers Extraordinary, 11-12; and MS Miscellaneous Hymns, 119-20. O never may the fiend steal in, Or one unstable soul deceive: Assail'd by our besetting sin, And tempted sore the work to leave, Preserve us, Lord, from self and pride, And let nor life, nor death divide.