Hymns for the Use of Families, 16

To — " Spirit of truth, descend."
Spirit of love, return
To every troubled breast,
And comfort us who mourn
For permanence of rest:
Thou dost Thy mourners' steps attend,
Our undiscover'd Guide;
But come our grief and sin to end,
And in our hearts abide.
With us residing here,
We know Thee now in part;
The Author of our fear
And all our hope Thou art:
Thou often visitest Thine own;

But in an hour, or day,
Our transitory Guest is gone,
Our joy is fled away.
How short, alas, our taste
Of those celestial powers,
When a few moments bless'd,
We know that Christ is ours,
That Christ hath quench'd the wrath of God,
His Father's grace reveal'd,
And bought our pardon with His blood,
And on our conscience seal'd.
O might we always know
The Father reconciled:
Set up Thy throne below
In each adopted child;
Restore the kingdom of Thy grace,
And fill us from above
With purest joy, and perfect peace,
And everlasting love.