The _Short Poems_ account for the enormous number of Charles Wesley’s hymns. On the Old Testament he wrote 1,609, on the New Testament 3,491, a total of 5,100 poetical notes on the Holy Scripture. But very many consist of only one verse.[155] By skilful combination some very good hymns have been made, and in a few instances we come upon a complete hymn of great strength or beauty. Many of these are familiar in Methodist congregations, though probably few worshippers recognize the passages of Scripture which suggested the verses. The well-known hymn A charge to keep I have, is the poet’s meditation and prayer after reading Lev. viii. 35: ‘Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not.’ After reading Lev. vi. 13: ‘The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out,’ he prays O Thou who camest from above The pure celestial fire to impart, Kindle a flame of sacred love On the mean altar of my heart! There let it for Thy glory burn With inextinguishable blaze; And trembling to its source return, In humble prayer and fervent praise. On the words ‘merciful and gracious’ in Exod. xxxiv. 6 he comments Mercy is Thy distinguished Name, And suits the sinner best. On the twenty-ninth verse of the same chapter, ‘Moses wist not that his face shone,’ he writes Thine image if Thou stamp on me, Let others, Lord, the brightness see, By me unseen, unknown. As these verses are buried in the last four volumes of the _Poetical Works_, I venture to quote a few others which have, I think, some special value, reminding one at times of Herbert or Crashaw. ‘The Lord went His way’ (Gen. xviii. 33). Unwearied let us still request By instant prayer whate’er we want: The patriarch from asking ceased, Before the Almighty ceased to grant. ‘O my Lord, I am not eloquent’ (Exod. iv. 10). How ready is the man to go Whom God hath never sent! How timorous, diffident, and slow God’s chosen instrument! Lord, if from Thee this mark I have Of a true Messenger, By whom Thou wilt Thy people save, And let me always fear. Slow of speech and slower still Of heart, alas! am I, Cannot utter what I feel, Or speak to the Most High: But I to my Brother look, Mighty both in word and deed: He my cause hath undertook And lives for me to plead. ‘Where hast thou gleaned to-day?’ (Ruth ii. 19). At evening to myself I say, My soul, where hast thou gleaned to-day, Thy labours how bestowed? What hast thou rightly said or done? What grace attained or knowledge won, In following after God? ‘Oh that I knew where I might find Him’ (Job xxxiii. 3). Where but on yonder tree? Or if too rich thou art, Sink into poverty, And find Him in thine heart. ‘Israel served for a wife’ (Hos. xii. 12).