A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the People Called Methodist, first published in 1780, was the definitive collection of hymns to appear during the lifetime of John Wesley.

As the culmination of a lengthy process of preparing a 'general hymn-book,' he selected the 525 hymns presented here from more than fifty hymnbooks published during the preceding forty-three years. It was very distinctly Methodist in character.

The arrangement of the hymns was carefully designed to reflect the Wesleyan concept of the way of salvation and the pattern of Christian experience.