What are our works but sin and death,

Till thou thy quickening Spirit breathe?

Thou giv’st the power thy grace to move:

O wondrous grace! O boundless love!

How can it be, thou heavenly King,

That thou should’st us to glory bring;

Make slaves the partners of thy throne,

Decked with a never-fading crown?

Hence our hearts melt, our eyes o’erflow,

Our words are lost; nor will we know,

Nor will we think of aught beside,

My Lord, my Love is crucified!

First-born of many brethren thou;

To thee, lo! all our souls we bow;

To thee our hearts and hands we give;

Thine may we die, thine may we live!

John Nitschmann (1712-83) vv. 1-3 (Anna’s brother)

Anna Nitschmann (1715-60) v. 4

tr. John Wesley (1703-91)