Spirit of Truth, Thy grace impart. [Whitsuntide.] This cento was given in the 1863 Appendix to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Psalms & Hymns, No. 236, as follows:—
1. "Spirit of Truth, Thy grace impart,
To guide our doubtful way;
Thy beams shall scatter every cloud,
And make a glorious day."
This is an altered form of stanzas v. of J. Needham's "Thy influence, mighty God, impart," from his Hymns, &c, 1768, p. 163.
2. "Light in Thy light, 0 may we see,
Thy grace and mercy prove,
Revived and cheered and blest by Thee
Spirit of peace and love."
This is lines 5-8 of C. Wesley's "Eternal Sun of Righteousness," from his Short Hymns, &c, 1762, No. 201.
3. "'Tis Thine to soothe the sorrowing mind,
With guilt and fear oppress'd;
'Tis Thine to bid the dying live,
And give the weary rest."
This is an altered form of stanzas ii. of J. Hart's "Bless'd Spirit of truth, eternal God," from his Hymns, &c, 1759, No. 5, slightly varied from T. Cotterill's Selection 1810, No. 66, "Eternal Spirit, Source of Truth."
4. "Subdue the power of every sin,
Whate'er that sin may be,
That we, in singleness of heart,
May worship only Thee."
Also from T. Cotterill's Selection, 1810, No. 66, as above.
In Thring's Collection, 1882, this text is repeated, together with a doxology from Tate & Brady with 1. 2 borrowed from C. Wesley.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)