COLLECTION OF HYMNS, FOR THE USE OF THE PEOPLE CALLED METHODISTS. ←← BY THE REV. JOHN WESLEY, A. M. PRINTED BY T. CORDEUX FOR T. BLANSHARD, 1820. E-ROW PREFACE. FOR many years I have been importuned to publish such a Hymn Book as might be generally used in all our Congregations throughout Great Britain and Ireland. I have hitherto withstood the importunity, a, I believed such a Publication was needless, cousidering the various Hymn Books which my Brother and I have published within these forty years last past: so that it may be doubted whether any religious Community in the world has a greater variety of them. But it has been answered, "Such a Publication is highly needful upon this very account; for the greater part of the people, being poor, are not able to purchase so many books. And those that have purchased them are, as it were, bewildered in the immense variety. A proper Collection of Hymns for general use, carefully made out of all these books, is, therefore, still wanting; and one comprised in so moderate a compass as to be neither cumbersome nor expensive." It has been replied, "You have such a Collection already, (entitled Hymns and Spiritual Songs,) which I extracted several years ago, from a variety of Hymn Books." But it is objected, "This is in the other extreme: It is far too small; it does not, it cannot, in so narrow a compass, contain variety enough: not so much as we want, among whom singing makes so considerable a part of the public service. What we want is, a Collection not too large, that it may be cheap and portable; nor too small, that it may contain a sufficient variety for all ordinary occasions." A 2 iv Such a Hymn Book you have now before you. It is not so large as to be either cumbersome, or expensive: and it is large enough to contain such a variety of Hymns as will not soon be worn threadbare. It is, large enough to contain all the important truths of our most holy Religion, whether speculative or practical: yea, to illustrate them all, and to prove them, both b Scripture and Reason. And this is done in a regular order. The Hymns are not carelessly jumbled toge ther, but carefully arranged under proper heads, ac. cording to the experience of real Christians. So that this book is, in effect, a little body of experimental and practical divinity. As but a small part of these Hymns is of my own. composing, I do not think it inconsistent with modesty to declare, that I am persuaded no such Hymn Book as this has yet been published in the English language. In what other publication of the kind have you so distinet and fall an account of Scriptural Christianity? Such a declaration of the heights and depths of Religion, speculative and practical? So strong cautions against the most plausible errors: particularly those that are now most prevaleat? And so clear directions for making your calling and election sure; for perfecting holiness in the fear of God? May I be permitted to add a few words with regard to the Poetry? Then I will speak to those who are judges thereof, with all freedom and unreserve. To these. I may say, without offence, 4. In these Hymns there is no doggerel; no hotches: nothing put in to patch up the rhyine: no feeble expletives. 2. Here is nothing turgid or bombast, on the one hand, or low and creeping on the other. 8. Here are no cant expres sions; no words without meaning. Those who impute this to us, know not what they say. We talk cominon sense, both in prose and verse, and use no words but in a fixt and determinate sense. 4. Here are, (allow me to say,) both the purity, the strength, and the ele gance of the English language: and, at the same time, The utmost simplicity and plainness, suited to every capacity. Lastly, I desire men of taste to judge, (these are the only competent judges,) whether there be not in some of the following Hyinns, the true Spirit The greater part was composed by the Rev. Charles Wesley. of Poetry; such as cannot be acquired by art and labour; but must be the gift of Nature. By labour a man may become a tolerable imitator of Spenser, Shakespeare, or Milton, and may heap together pretty compound epithets, as pale-eye'd, meek-eye'd, and the like; but unless he be born a Poet, he will never attain the genuine Spirit of Poetry. But to return. That which is of infinitely more moment than the Spirit of Poetry, is the Spirit of Piety. And, I trust, all persons of real judgment will find this breathing through the whole Collection. It is in this view chiefly, that I would recommend it to every truly pious reader, as a mean of raising or quickening the spirit of devotion; of confirming his faith; of enlivening bis hope; and of kindling and increasing his love to God and man. When Poetry thus keeps its place, as the handinaid of Piety, it shall attain, not a poor perishable wreath, but a Crown that fadeth not away. London, October 20, 1779. JOHN WESLEY. |