The Trinitarian Theology of Charles Wesley’s Hymnody

By Tyler Walker. Wesleyans are a singing people. In good times and bad, we turn to the songs of our faith. The Wesleyan movement has distinguished itself with its historical hymnody, largely because of one of our founders, Charles Wesley (d. 1788), who wrote more than 6,000 hymns in his lifetime.^[1] Charles Wesley’s hymns indelibly marked the Wesleyan movement and its worship through Trinitarian theology. This mark is even more noticeable considering Wesleyan and Methodist theology.

Hymns written by Charles address a wide variety of theological topics. While not a formal part of our doctrinal standards, Charles Wesley’s poems and hymns are strongly connected to our theology. Many Methodist/Wesleyan churches sing the hymns of Charles Wesley, whose works have a deep connection to ideas and beliefs about the Trinity. While Charles borrowed much theology from his brother, John (d. 1791), he was a highly educated Oxford theologian himself. These hymns demonstrated his independence and thought as a pastor and theologian within the movement.

Historians have sometimes viewed John and Charles as interchangeable in their leadership of the Wesleyan movement, but they were not the same person. Charles was an independent thinker, one who devoted much time to preaching and hymnody. Many of his poems were written specifically to celebrate and clarify the traditional view of the Trinity. As Laura A. Bartles points out in her article “Hymns of the Status Quo: Charles Wesley on The Trinity.”^[2] Charles deeply concerned himself with maintaining a connection with the Church of England and the Methodist movement, founding the Holy Club during his time at Oxford to preserve that relationship. Charles once noted, “[John’s] first object was the Methodists and then the Church, mine was first to the Church and then the Methodists.”^[3]

Background

An understanding of Charles’ background sheds light on his contributions to articulating the doctrine of the Trinity in poetry and hymnody. Charles studied at Oxford University. In 1735, Charles followed his father and brother into ordained ministry and traveled with John to America, returning a year later. Charles underwent his powerful conversion experience before John in 1738. His conversion profoundly impacted his ministry and hymnody. From 1738 until 1756, Charles traveled extensively, preaching, and writing hymns. In his later life, after his health began to decline, he stayed close to home in London or Bristol. Notably, Charles was a gifted poet and writer, but not musically inclined. Charles wrote no music nor played any musical instruments aside from the recorder while attending Oxford. Furthermore, Charles could not sing; according to his son, “Charles had not a vocal talent, but could join in a hymn…tolerable well in tune.”^[4] With such limited singing ability, he still wrote many hymns, deriving the tunes from popular contemporary sources such as Henry Purcell (d. 1695) and George Handel (d. 1759).^[5]

At the time of Charles’ ministry, a deep theological crisis had gripped the Church of England known as the Trinitarian Controversies. The Trinitarian Controversies represented a theological argument regarding Christology, or the nature of Christ, carried out by English theologians from 1687 onward. In their discussions of the nature of Christ, these theologians debated over the role of the Trinity and how those views applied to the church. Positions that had remained largely dormant since the death of John Biddle (d. 1662), an early Unitarian, were revived and discussed in pamphlet literature, mostly anonymously. These views began to trickle down from theologians to the people.

Among the leading voices of the Unitarian movement were Matthew Tindal (d. 1733) and John Toland (d. 1722). These men drew ideas from the enlightenment and from authors like John Locke (d. 1704). According to Diego Lucci, “The turmoil caused by the Trinitarian controversy encouraged deists like Tindal and Toland to publish their attacks on the Trinitarian dogma.”^[6] Unitarians attacked the doctrine of the Trinity, claiming that Scripture did not support the idea. Furthermore, the doctrine of the Trinity defied logic and reason, hallmarks of the Enlightenment era. Tindal and Toland wrote leaflets supporting Socinianism, “a set of beliefs who rejected a number of traditional Christian doctrines, as the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, and original sin, and who held that Christ was miraculously begotten and that salvation will be granted to those who adopt Christ’s virtues.”^[7]

This controversy was part of a larger debate after the Act of Toleration 1689, which allowed dissenting groups to worship in England but required such churches to register with the government. This registration was required of all religious groups other than the Church of England. Toleration was not extended to those who did not believe in the doctrine of the Trinity. By the end of the 1690s, Parliament had demonstrated that religious tolerance would not be extended in England. This lack of tolerance from the government fueled the Trinitarian Controversies. Formally, the Blasphemy Act of 1697 targeted Unitarians by legally enshrining the religious prohibition against non-trinitarian believers. Arguments for and against the Trinity continued to circulate throughout the Church of England. Well-meaning Anglican priests advocated strongly for the doctrine of the Trinity. In their zeal, however, they lost sight of the effect of their actions on the local church and in the eyes of the people. The strength of the attacks by theologically orthodox Anglicans heightened sympathies for Unitarians and resulted in a greater degree of tolerance extended to English Protestants.[8]

Tindal and Toland did not create the idea of Unitarianism, or the idea of God as one being, but they borrowed ideas from others and expanded upon them. The pair started down a path toward Unitarianism and ultimately embraced Deism. The tracks they authored became founding documents of Deism, pushing the envelope on the Trinitarian Controversies enough to force the Parliament of Great Britain to intervene. Bearing in mind the legality of their actions and a general easing of opposition among the English people, the Trinitarian Controversies came to a near conclusion.

The very nature of the debate was vitriolic and toxic enough to permanently damage the doctrine of the Trinity. Ordinary parishioners within the Church of England failed to understand the importance and danger of latitudinarian views. Furthermore, the Unitarian church and its views on Christianity became so pervasive that Trinitarian theology was at a severe ebb at this time. To paraphrase historian J.D. Bowers, Unitarianism was widely disseminated in the Great Britain at the time of Wesley to the point that Unitarian houses of worship formed and remained open in defiance of English law. Elmer Colyer wrote, “The Doctrine of God’s divine unity, Unitarianism, had moved beyond its existence as a singular theological idea to become the cornerstone of an emergent denomination and the foundation of a developed theological system.”^[9]

This was the historical setting that Charles Wesley found himself living in during his ministry. “Anti-Trinitarian sentiment in England had come to a stunning crescendo in an independent socioreligious expression,”^[10]and the Methodist movement attempted to repair church doctrine in the aftermath of this damage. Members of the Wesleyan movement clamored for action until John began preaching and teaching on the subject. The Methodists again advocated for orthodox theology in field preaching and published writings, and singing became one of the most useful tools they discovered in their meetings. The Wesley brothers recognized the power of music to teach and share doctrine: “In order to implant Methodist teaching in the minds and memories of the people the Wesley’s incorporated hymn singing and published hymn books.”^[11]

Hymns on the Trinity

In 1767, Charles wrote a collection of hymns entitled Hymns on the Trinity.^[12] Sadly, this volume was never printed again. “A facsimile edition of this significant small volume was published in 1998 by the Charles Wesley Society, with a preface by S. T. Kimbrough, Jr. and an introduction by Wilma J. Quantrille.”^[13] In writing these hymns, Charles did not receive inspiration solely from the theology of his brother, but also incorporated the theology of William Jones of Nayland (d. 1800). As Kimbrough points out, the first four sections essentially are Charles’s poetical reworking of William Jones’s treatise, The Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity, proved by above an hundred short and dear arguments, expressed in terms of Holy Scripture (1756).”^[14]

Notably, William Jones did not participate in the Methodist movement, he was an Oxford-trained Anglican priest with deep political connections. Jones is most known for his work The Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity (1756)that inspired Charles Wesley. At this time, “Eighteenth century [clergy] were more concerned with ecclesiology than with the sacraments. The status of Anglican ministry was crucial to high church ecclesiology. The ground [foundation] of the Anglican ministry was trinitarian orthodoxy and this doctrine was reasserted by clergy like Jones against Arians, Deists and Socinians.”^[15] As an Anglican concerned with Trinitarian orthodoxy, Jones wrote extensively to advocate for and defend the doctrine of the Trinity throughout his life. A strict loyalist to the Church of England, Jones also defended centralized power between the church and state, positions with which Charles Wesley agreed wholeheartedly.

Hymns on The Trinity, presented 188 new hymns with new music from this period. Charles chose to arrange his collection according to five sections: “Hymns on the Divinity of Christ,” on the “Divinity of the Holy Spirit,” on “the Plurality and Trinity of Persons,” on “the Trinity in Unity,” and finally “Hymns and Prayers to the Trinity.”^[16] Most of the hymns never gained wide acceptance or use, perhaps due to the weighty theological concepts of Trinitarian doctrine that the verses conveyed. In fact, “[only] a dozen or so of the hymns included made it into other collections used among the Methodists. One example of Charles Wesley’s Trinitarian hymns from the 1767 collection was highlighted in an article written by Howard Snyder:

“1 Triumph, happy soul, to whom God the heavenly secret tells, Father, Son, and Spirit come, One in Three Himself reveals! What from man thou could’st not know, Thou art truly taught of God, When He doth the faith bestow, Wash thee in thy Saviour’s blood.

“2 Fully certified thou art By that sacred blood applied, He who dwells within thy heart, God, the great Jehovah died: Now, and not ’till now thou knowst (Myst’ry learnt by faith alone) Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, God in Persons Three is One.

“3 God in Persons Three, appear God to every troubled breast, Show Thyself the Comforter, Be the weary sinner’s rest: Stranger to thy people’s peace, Burthen’d with our sins we groan; Come, that all our griefs may cease, Take possession of thy own.

“4 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Heal thy creature’s misery; Thee, the Pearl which Adam lost, Give us to recover Thee, Give us in pure love renew’d Higher by our fall to rise, Image of the Tri-une God, House of One who fills the skies.” [17]

This untitled hymn from the 1767 collection was taken from the last section, “Hymns and Prayers to the Trinity.”^[18] As Snyder points out, this poem describes Charles’ experience of salvation, which involves each person of the Trinity acting in cooperation with the others. In addition, the hymn deals with themes of rest and restoration granted by the grace of the Triune God. To that end, the hymn also emphasizes grace, a common theme of Wesleyan theology. Snyder describes Charles’ Trinitarian theology and its implications for us as Christians: “To know God in Christ is to know the Trinity. Salvation is not just ‘me and Jesus’ but has larger theological and experiential dimensions.”^[19] As Charles wrote in the above hymn, a true knowledge of the Trinitarian God remains a mystery learned only through faith.

The doctrine of the Trinity has implications for community and involvement. As Colyer points out in his book The Trinitarian Dimension of John Wesley’s Theology, “…We know the Trinity by participation in the gospel, not by the arid intellectual reasoning.”^[20] This relates to a verse from Charles’ Trinity hymn collection: “Not from creeds alone the doctrine we receive: Jehovah Three in One He gives us to believe the God of truth himself imparts, and writes His name upon our hearts.”^[21] Charles’ vision of the Trinity is immersive, participatory, and experiential. Rather than an obscure theological construct, the doctrine of the Trinity lies at the heart of a vital Christian faith. For Charles, the Trinity provided the ultimate example of God’s love for humankind demonstrated in the apparent activity of the Triune God.

This manifests in the following example from Charles’ hymnody: “Come Father, Son and Spirit, give Thy love, Thyself: and lo! I live Imparadised in thee.”^[22] This brief line reveals that Charles does not simply acknowledge the Triune God, but participates in life with God. Another of Charles’ hymns from A Collection of Hymns for the People Called Methodists states, “Send us the Spirit of thy Son, to make the depths of Godhead known. To make us share the life divine.”^[23] Again, Charles’ vision of the Triune God connects to all children of God through the activity of the Triune God in the church. Charles did not imagine God as evil or vengeful, but loving and relational, desiring that all people would share in the divine life of the Trinity.

Trinitarian hymns from Charles have reemerged in Our Great Redeemer’s Praise, a hymnal published in 2022 by Seedbed Ministries. This recent collection of Wesleyan hymns incorporates dozens of faith traditions from Anglican faith communities to the Global Methodist Church. The collection includes over a hundred hymns from the Wesley brothers. One rediscovered and nearly-forgotten hymn by Charles is entitled “Hail! Holy, Holy, Holy Lord! Originally published as #109 in Charles’ 1767 publication, the hymn appears in Our Great Redeemer’s Praise in the category of “The Plurality and Trinity of Persons.”^[24] The hymn is based on Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8, “One cried unto another, and said; HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS the LORD OF HOSTS.”^[25] Charles’ poem in full:

“1 Hail holy, holy, holy Lord, Whom One in Three we know, By all thy heavenly host ador’d, By all thy church below! One undivided Trinity With triumph we proclaim: Thy universe is full of thee, And speaks thy glorious name.

“2 Thee, holy Father, we confess, Thee, holy Son adore, Thee, Spirit of true holiness, We worship evermore: Thine incommunicable right, Almighty God, receive, Which angel-quires and saints in light And saints embodied give.

“3 Three Persons equally divine We magnify and love: And both the quires ere long shall join To sing thy praise above: Hail holy, holy, holy Lord, (Our heavenly song shall be) Supreme, essential One ador’d In co-eternal Three.”^[26]

Each verse of the poem emphasizes the undivided oneness of the Triune God acting in cooperation with each person of the Trinity. As this poem and his 1767 volume illustrate, Charles was a theologian in his own regard versifying detailed interpretation of Trinitarian doctrine.

Scholars today recognize that the Wesley brothers did not always agree with one another. When John sent Thomas Coke (d. 1814) to the United States, his actions created tension with his brother Charles:

“While his brother’s commitment to the Church of England was equivocal, Charles’ was not. During this period of church history, the defense of the Trinity should be seen as the defense of both the Established Church and the state government. Within such a context Charles can be viewed as a social conservative who would not have favored the kind of dissenting church his brother seemed to be creating and from which Charles increasingly distanced himself.”^[27]

This tension and distance may have resulted in Charles’ slightly diminished role in history when compared to his brother. Wesley scholars and other historians have spent much time debating Charles’ role in the Methodist movement. While he wrote many hymns, not all researchers agree on whether Charles was more than just a hymn writer for his brother. There is also a lack of clarity on Charles’ theology and whether he fully embraced the beliefs of the new Methodist Episcopal church given the ties he retained to the Church of England. However, none question the deep Trinitarian dimension in the Wesley brothers’ theology:

“The sheer number of Trinitarian summaries from 1738 and thereafter discloses how deeply the participatory, economic Trinitarian dimension of Wesley’s theology is embedded in his vision of Christian faith and life. John depicted this Trinitarian essence of Christian faith as entering into “the throne room” of the human heart, the root of all vital religion…or summary of the central motif of the Bible.”^[28]

Jason E. Vickers maintains that Charles’ ‘conversion experience’ in 1738 had a visible impact on his doctrine, especially doctrine concerning the power of the Holy Spirit and, by implication, the doctrine of the Trinity. The change manifested most prominently in the hymns Charles authored after 1738. In Hymns and Prayers to the Trinity, Charles wrote, “He, whom the world cannot receive, But fight against his power, Will come, we steadfastly believe, In his appointed hour: He now the future grace reveals, Bespeaks his mean abode; And in us when the Spirit dwells, We all are fill’d with God.”^[29]Charles views the Spirit as an active participant in the Trinity’s personhood and work as the Spirit’s dwelling fills the believer with God.

Charles Wesley’s Trinitarian theology particularly emerges in the hymn “Maker (Father), in Whom We Live.”^[30] From verse four: “Eternal triune Lord! Let all the hosts above, let all the sons of men, record, and dwell upon thy love. When heaven and earth are fled before thy glorious face, sing all the saints thy love hath made thine everlasting praise.”^[31] Here, Charles articulates a vision of heaven in which the saints offer praise to the Triune God. This hymn, originally titled “To the Trinity,” was first published in Hymns for those that Seek, and those that Have Redemption in 1747. Each stanza of the hymn relates to Charles’ Trinitarian theology, with every person of the Trinity involved in creation. Sanchez wrote, “The distribution of address in the first three stanzas sketches the panorama of trinitarian history-grounded in creation (Acts 17:28 and Lk. 2:14), centered in Christ (Rev. 7:10), carried forward in the Spirit (Tit. 3:5)-rising finally to the communal adoration of stanza 4.”^[32] The Wesleyan Hymn Book published in 1797 included the unaltered version of this hymn and the revised edition of 1875 retained it.^[33] In The United Methodist Hymnal 1989, the language for God was adapted from Father to Maker. Additionally, language for the Trinity was changed from Eternal Triune Lord to God. Still, the Trinitarian message remains.

Charles’ Mark on the Church

Charles also authored the following well-known hymns, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” and “And Can it Be That I Should Gain.” Many scholars believe that Charles wrote “And Can it Be” immediately following his conversion in 1738. On May 21 of that year, Charles wrote, “Still I felt violent opposition and reluctance to believe; yet still the Spirit of God strove with my own and the evil spirit till by degrees He chased away the darkness of my unbelief. I found myself convinced, I knew not how or when, and immediately fell to intercession.”^[34] Just a few days later on May 23, he wrote, “I began a hymn upon my conversion…many historians think it so because of the vivid testimony of verse 4.”^[35] The text of verse four describes his imprisoned spirit, once bound by sin, ”quickened” so that Charles woke in a light-flamed dungeon with his chains released and heart freed to follow God.^[36]

“And Can It Be” contains many quotations and allusions to Scripture. Just a few of these include Philippians 2:7, Acts 12:6-8, Romans 8:1, and Hebrews 4:16. Charles frequently adopted metaphors as he contrasted light and darkness, life and death, slavery, and freedom, and especially Christ’s righteousness and our unrighteousness.^[37] While Trinitarian language is not used explicitly, Charles’ vivid imagery frequently evokes the presence and activity of the Triune God in the world. The hymn received its first publication in John Wesley’s Psalms and Hymns (1738), later subtitled “Free Grace” in John and Charles Wesley’s Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739). This text appears in many modern hymnals and represents one of the great hymns of Methodism.^[38]

Charles described his conversion experience as granting peace with God, joy in the hope of Christ, and faith on which he stood.^[39] This experience partnered with John’s conversion formed the core of the order of salvation for Methodists, including assurance, sanctification, and justification. After their experiences, the brothers wrote their mother, Susanna Wesley (d. 1742), to tell her the good news, and she responded, “You say that till within a few months you had no spiritual life and no justifying faith…I heartily rejoice that you have attained to a strong and lively hope in God’s mercy through Christ.” ^[40] Charles underwent a permanent change following his self-described conversions. After previously reading his sermons from the page, Charles began to speak without notes. After struggling with overindulgence in alcohol, he overcame his issues with drinking.

Charles wrote “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” to express his views on faith and assurance. In 1740, he published this hymn under the name “For the Anniversary of One’s Conversion.”^[41] Of the original eighteen verses, seven appear typically,for congregational singing. Seventeen verses appear in poetical form in some hymnals. These additional verses are especially illuminating regarding Wesley’s views on grace and faith: “Look unto him, ye nations, own your God, ye fallen race! Look, and be saved through faith alone and be justified by grace. See all your sins on Jesus laid; the Lamb of God was slain, his soul was once an offering made for every soul of man.”^[42]

Trinitarian language is also not expressly present in the commonly sung versions of “O For a Thousand Tongues,” but Charles did include his Trinitarian theology in the original poem. The persons of the Trinity appear throughout verses of the poem. Verse four references the activity of the Holy Spirit: “Then with my heart I first believed, believed with faith divine, power with the Holy Ghost received to call the savior mine.”^[43] As noted on Hymnary.org, “Because of the two-fold function of the hymn as both present declaration and future hope, the hymn can be used in a variety of ways throughout the liturgical year and throughout the worship service [for] Pentecost: use to focus on the Holy Spirit enabling all to speak and hear the Gospel with ‘a thousand tongues.’”^[44] The Holy Spirit appears as a necessity to the core of the poem’s message. This work received its first publication as a hymn in Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), a hymnal the Wesley brothers compiled together. John borrowed the title from Peter Böhler (d. 1775), a Moravian who promised that he would praise Jesus Christ with a thousand tongues if it were possible. Böhler himself lifted the image from a German hymn by Johann Mentzner (d. 1734), “O dass ich tausend Zungen hätte.”^[45]

The word “all” represents a noteworthy aspect of the Wesleyan hymns. Charles did not accidentally choose this word, but intentionally chose to contrast his theology with his contemporaries in the Reformed tradition. During a time when many people adhered to Calvinistic beliefs of salvation for only the elect, “the hymns of Charles Wesley loudly proclaimed unlimited atonement of Jesus. It is said the word all must have had a special place in Charles’ vocabulary for it appears so frequently in his hymns.”^[46] Charles’ hymns expressed a sentiment that echoes John’s thoughts on prevenient grace poured out for all people, not just an elected few.

Conclusion

Hundreds of years later, the Wesleyan tradition of doctrinal theological hymns persists. A new Wesleyan hymnal has recently been published and, at the time of its release, Our Great Redeemer’s Praise was advertised as the most Wesleyan hymnal produced in a generation. This edition has brought to light many older hymns by the Wesley brothers by including over a hundred hymns by both John and Charles, some of which have not seen publication or the voices of a congregation for many years.

Through the Trinitarian language in their hymns, Charles envisioned a community of believers much like that of Acts 2 and 4. The participatory, Trinitarian theology in the Wesley’s’ doctrine and hymnody recognizes the value of community and diversity. Methodists continue to share that message in part by retaining and reviving the hymns of Charles Wesley.

The hymns of Charles Wesley have offered a theological anchor to generations of Wesleyans. When reflecting on Methodist heritage, one can hardly separate music from theology. They are one and the same, inextricably linked to one another. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the instrumentation or style of contemporary worship, the theology in older Methodist hymns still speaks to our church today through its articulation and expression of the Triune God. As St. Augustine once said, singing is a way to pray twice, and hymns written by Charles address a wide variety of theological topics. Not every hymn relates directly to the Trinity, but hymns like “And Can It Be” demonstrate the activity of the Trinity even when the Triune God is not named as such.

Many of Charles’ works responded to theological arguments of his day by expressing profound connections to ideas and beliefs about the Trinity. While not a formal systematic theology, Charles Wesley’s poems and hymns are deeply connected to Wesleyan/Methodist theology. Charles received inspiration from other theological writers and leaders but earned a place in history and hymnody as a highly educated theologian in his own right. His theological expressions on the Trinity along with other beliefs were seen and sung in his hymns, demonstrating his independence, and thought as a leader alongside his brother John. While Charles did not want to see the Methodists depart from the Church of England, he might be pleased to know that the doctrine of the Trinity endures as an essential tenet of the Wesleyan movement.

Tyler Walker (BA, DMin) is pastor of Palo United Methodist Church and Trinity/St. James United Methodist Church in Iowa, USA.

[1] Robert J. Morgan, Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson INC, 2003) 49.

[2] Laura A. Bartles, Hymns of the Status Quo: Charles Wesley on the Trinity (Methodist History, 41:2 (January 2003) accessed 1/25/2024,

[3] Richard P. Heitzenrater, Wesley and the People Called Methodists Second Edition (Nashville: Abingdon 2013) 261.

[4] Heitzenrater, 259.

[5] Ibid, 259.

[6] Diego Lucci, From Unitarianism to Deism: Matthew Tindal, John Toland, and the Trinitarian Controversy (https://journals.openedition.org/episteme/4223?lang=en) accessed 2/4/2024.

[7] Dictonary.com accessed 2/4/2024

[8] Diego Lucci, From Unitarianism to Deism: Matthew Tindal, John Toland, and the Trinitarian Controversy (https://journals.openedition.org/episteme/4223?lang=en) accessed 2/4/2024.

[9] Elmer M. Colyer, The Trinitarian Dimension of John Wesley’s Theology (Nashville TN: New Room Books. 2019) 67.

[10] Colyer, 67.

[11] Richard P. Heitzenrater, Wesley and the People Called Methodists Second Edition (Nashville: Abingdon 2013) 258.

[13] Snyder, 110.

[14] Snyder, 110.

[15] JCD Clark, English Society 1660-1832 Revised Edition (Cambridge, 2000).

[16] Snyder, 110.

[17] Snyder, 110.

[18] Snyder, 110.

[19] Snyder, 111.

[20] Elmer M. Colyer, The Trinitarian Dimension of John Wesley’s Theology (Nashville TN: New Room Books. 2019), 300.

[21] Colyer, 300.

[22] Colyer, 86

[23] Colyer, 86.

[24] Wesley, 1.

[25] Wesley, 69.

[26] Ibid, 69-70.

[27] Laura A. Bartels, HYMNS OF THE STATUS QUO: CHARLES WESLEY ON THE TRINITY(Methodist History, 41:2 (January 2003) accessed 1/16/2024, file:///C:/Users/thwal/Downloads/Hymns%20of%20the%20Status%20Quo%20Charles%20on%20the%20Trinity.pdf.

[28] Elmer M. Colyer, The Trinitarian Dimension of John Wesley’s Theology (Nashville TN: New Room Books. 2019), 135.

[29] Jason Vickers “And We The Life of God Shall Know’: Incarnation and the Trinity in Charles Wesley’s Hymns“. Anglican Theological Review. 90 (2): 329–344.

[30] The United Methodist Hymnal 1989, 88.

[31] https://hymnary.org/text/father_in_whom_we_live, accessed 1/16/2024.

[32]Diana Sanchez, The Hymns of the United Methodist Hymnal: Introduction to the Hymns, Canticles, and Acts of Worship (Nashville TN: Abingdon Press. 1989. 47.

[33] Ibid. 47.

[34] Charles Johnson, One Hundred & One Famous Hymns (Delvan WI: Hallberg Publishing Co. 1983), 39.

[35] Ibid, 45.

[36] The United Methodist Hymnal 1989, 363.

[37]https://hymnary.org/text/and_can_it_be_that_i_should_gain?page=2&extended=true#instances, accessed 1/16/2024.

[38]https://hymnary.org/text/and_can_it_be_that_i_should_gain?page=2&extended=true#instances, accessed 1/16/2024.

[39] Morgan, 45.

[40] Morgan, 47.

[41] The United Methodist Hymnal 1989, 56.

[42] Ibid, 58.

[43] Ibid, 58.

[44] https://hymnary.org/text/o_for_a_thousand_tongues_to_sing_my, accessed 1/16/2024.

[45] https://hymnary.org/text/o_for_a_thousand_tongues_to_sing_my, accessed 1/16/2024.

[46] Johnson, 40.