COME DOWN O LOVE DIVINE

Come down, O love divine,

Seek Thou this soul of mine

And visit it with Thine own ardour glowing;

O Comforter, draw near,

Within my heart appear,

And kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.




O let it freely burn,

Till earthly passions turn

To dust and ashes, in its heat consuming;

And let Thy glorious light

Shine ever on my sight,

And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.




Let holy charity

Mine outward vesture be,

And lowliness become mine inner clothing;

True lowliness of heart,

Which takes the humbler part,

And o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.




And so the yearning strong,

With which the soul will long,

Shall far outpass the power of human telling;

For none can guess its grace,

Till he become the place

Wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling