271
Come Down, O Divine Love

Come down, O Love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own
ardor 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 its glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my
path illuming.

And so the glory strong,
for which the soul will long,
shall far out-pass the power of
human telling;
for none can guess its grace,
till we become the place
wherein the holy Spirit
makes a dwelling.

Words: Bianco da Siena, d.c. 1434,
tr. Richard Frederick Littledale, 1833-1890, alt.
Music: Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958

DOWN AMPNEY
6.6.11.D.