Four Themes In the Hymns of Charles Wesley

The Wesley volume in the Classics of Western Spirituality features writings of John and Charles, founders of the Methodist movement in 18th century England.

John’s prose is dry stuff — not unusual in theology — but Charles’s poetry sparkles with life.  This edition includes 121 hymns.  Reading them, and singing the few I know, has fed my spirit in recent days.  I noted four recurring themes in his hymnody. 

1.  The Evangelical Theme.  The gospel of Christ shines in the hymns.  That ‘Christ died for our sins’ filled Wesley’s imagination with wonder and adoration.

Oh, let me kiss thy bleeding feet,
And bathe and wash them with my tears,
The story of thy love repeat
In every drooping sinner’s ears;
That all may hear the quick’ning sound,
If I, ev’n I, have mercy found. 

The death of God for our sakes astonished Wesley.  He comes back again and again to the theme, with special attention to blood imagery.  The doctrine of the Atonement is at issue here — Christ’s death brings forgiveness of sins to each believer and hope of eternal life.  Wesley’s passion for Christ’s passion fueled the engine of early Methodism. 

2.  The Mystical Theme.  Wesley wanted to experience God’s love in daily life, and his longing for love broke forth in passionate language.

My longing heart is all on fire
To be dissolved in love.

The mystical language gives voice a holy desire to be rejoined to universal love and to have that love fill one’s whole being.

3.  The Sacramental Theme.  Wesley emerged from the womb of the Anglican church, and its sacramental piety remained with him.  A whole section of hymns in my edition treats the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

Come, Holy Ghost, thine influence shed,
And realize the sign;
Thy life infuse into the bread,
Thy power into the wine.

The ‘sign’ points to the evangelical theme.  Bread and wine call the believer’s attention to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, which secures remission of sins and the reality of new life.  The  ‘life’ and ‘power’ in the elements leads back to the mystical theme.  One must feel these things deeply.

4.  The Practical Theme.  The hymns advocate a life of holiness and obedience.

I wait, till he shall touch me clean,
Shall life and power impart;
Gives me the faith that casts out sin,
And purifies the heart. 

The practical outworking of the faith — fruit of the evangelical, mystical and sacramental aspects — issues in personal transformation, purity of heart and a corresponding amendment of one’s conduct. 

Although it seldom appears in the hymns, at least those in my edition, a deep social concern would also fall under this practical theme. 

On mercy’s wings I swiftly fly
The poor and helpless to relieve,
My life, my all for them I give.

This social project marked the early Methodist movement. 

The robust theology in the hymns impressed me, as did the rich language and turns of expression.  Charles Wesley blended passionate belief with a facility for words.  Though not a Methodist myself, I was surprised by how many times his language touched a responsive chord in me. 

It’s possible not to be Methodist but still to be Wesleyan in one’s beliefs.