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 Incarnation; hence it is especially appropriate as a Respond to those Old Testament Lessons which contain, or imply, the promise of the Saviour's Birth and Work on Earth. Gen. iii., Isaiah viii., Malachi iii. may be taken as examples: but there are very many which relate the doings of men in such a way as to leave the hearers waiting and wishing for the adoption which comes to us through Christ. Some of them set forth the facts which show our miserable state without Christ. Others contain predictions of the life which He came on Earth to lead. Thus the Christian worshipper seeing the Christ wanted, promised, foretold, or the world waiting, groaning in pain, suffering, responds to such Lessons with this Hymn of the Incarnation. {77} In the evening the place is occupied by another Hymn of the Incarnation--_Magnificat_ (doth magnify)--the Song of the Blessed Virgin when the Birth of the Saviour was assuredly promised to her. The Blessed Mother's words of greeting to the promise and assurance are very sacred, and may be regarded as the most suitable possible for any human being very near the Lord. The words of Isaiah, _Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given_ will often come to the worshipper's mind, when he uses her words to express his praise after the 1st Lesson. Sometimes however the connection of the Old Testament Lesson with the Incarnation may with advantage be omitted in favour of another line of thought and praise.