Wesley Corpus

An earthquake hath the cavern shook, And burst the door, and rent the rock, The Lord hath sent his angel down, And he hath roll'd away the stone. 2Manuscript precursors of this hymn appear in MS Cheshunt, 178-80; MS Clarke, 185-87; and MS Shent, 138a-138b. Page 2 As snow3 behold his garment white, His countenance as lightning bright: He sits, and waves a flaming sword, And waits upon his rising Lord. The third auspicious morn is come, And calls your Saviour from the tomb, The bands of death are torn away, The yawning tomb gives back its prey. Could neither seal nor stone secure, Nor men, nor devils make it sure? The seal is broke, the stone cast by, And all the pow'rs of darkness fly. The body breaths, and lifts his head, The keepers sink, and fall as dead; The dead restor'd to life appear, The living quake, and die for fear. No power a band of soldiers have To keep one body in its grave: Surely it no dead body was That could the Roman eagles chase. The Lord of life is ris'n indeed, To death deliver'd in your stead; His rise proclaims your sins forgiven, And shews the living way to heaven. Haste then, ye souls that first believe, Who dare the gospel-word receive, Your faith with joyful hearts confess, Be bold, be Jesus' witnesses. Go tell the followers of your Lord Their Jesus is to life restor'd; He lives, that they his life may find; He lives, to quicken all mankind. 3"As snow" changed to "we now" in 1787 edn. 4John Wesley marked this verse for omission in his personal copy of the 1754 edn., but Charles retained it in all editions. Page 3 Hymn II.5 Sinners, dismiss your fear, The joyful tidings hear! This the word that Jesus said, O believe, and feel it true, Christ is risen from the dead, Lives the Lord who died for you! Haste, to his tomb repair, And see the tokens there; See the place where Jesus lay, Mark the burial-cloaths he wore: Angels near his relicks stay, Guards of him who dies no more. Why then art thou cast down, Thou poor afflicted one? Full of doubts, and griefs, and fears, Look into that open grave! Died he not to dry thy tears? Rose he not thy soul to save?