is not inconsistent with the
prayerful tone of this Stanza, that most of its lines express more hope
than fear. That the closing words should be at once humble and
confident would suit well with the character of this Hymn of praise.

On the other hand the words themselves are borrowed from two Psalms
(xxxi. 1 and lxxi. 1), where they must be rendered as a prayer. It is
therefore {74} preferable to take them here in the same sense. Latin
scholars know that the use of _non_ with the imperative occurs
elsewhere, being apparently regarded as though compounded with it.

Note on the Doxology in Te Deum.

_Te Deum_ is the only one of the Psalms and Canticles which is not
provided with _Gloria Patri_ at the end of it.

The obvious reason for this exception is that it is the only one which
contains a _Gloria Patri_ in the middle of it.

We have already said that an ascription of Praise to the Holy Trinity
is in this case more appropriate at the end of the first Stanza than at
the end of the third, because the third Stanza has a prayerful
character introduced into its words of praise.

The steps by which the doxology grew in _Te Deum_ may be conjectured.
The sentence which was required in the fifth line to complete the
ascription of Praise to Christ would be an acknowledgement of His
Sonship. For such an acknowledgement has not yet occurred. Using the
words of the Hymn, we should expect

Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur ecclesia
Patris venerandum verum unigenitum Filium.

Here the Father and the Son are mentioned. The addition of the words

Sanctum quoque paracletum spiritum,

and of epithets to express the majesty of the Father {75} would
complete the sentence and express the equality of the Persons.

Te per orbem sancta confitetur ecclesia
Patris immensae majestatis
Venerandum verum unigenitum filium,
Sanctum quoque paracletum spiritum.

But the two genitives, _Patris, majestatis_, suggest the accusative
_Patrem_; and already the addition of _Spiritum_ has suggested the
inclusion, under _Te_, of the Three Persons.

[1] The word 'reward' is frequently to be found in the English Bible
where the Vulgate has _reddo_.

{76}

CHAPTER IX.

PRAISE.

V. The Canticles continued.

The position which the _Te Deum _occupies in the morning is that of
Respond of the whole people to the message of the Old Testament. We
have found that the _Te Deum_ is a Hymn of the Inc