For turning to the First Stanza, we find each line has three thoughts. The prominent word in the first line is TE—Thee—and occurs three times. Similarly in the second line TIBI—to Thee: and in the fourth line TE. The last line of this Stanza varies, it is true, as the last line of the middle Stanza does, but retaining a triple thought, viz. the Holy Trinity. The third line has the Ter-Sanctus.
Thus the 1st Stanza, by its form, is separated from the 2nd Stanza, and the 2nd from the 3rd in like manner.
For, in the Third Stanza although TE is still {68} prominent as the first word, it is very sparingly introduced afterwards—once in the 11th line, and twice in the 13th. Here again we notice a variation with the object of marking the Stanza's last line, for in the last line TE occurs twice. The word Domine supplants Te in the 10th and 12th lines, and appears with Te twice in the 13th line.
The elaborate arrangement of the Hymn has been exhibited so as to eliminate the notion of an extempore composition. Its method however is worthy of some further consideration.
It will be evident that it proceeds on the idea of a centre thought in each Stanza, with thoughts balanced on each side. Thus in the 1st Stanza the centre thought (line 3 Latin Version) is the praise of Heaven and Earth (Isaiah vi. 3), addressed to Christ (see S. John xii. 41) by the Seraphim. The Choirs of Heaven are mentioned in the 2nd line, and those of earth in the 4th. The 5th line recurs to some of the thoughts of the 1st and the 3rd lines. Thus the 1st and 5th, the 2nd and 4th lines are balanced about the Song of Praise which forms the middle line.
So again, in the and Stanza, the centre thought is our Lord's Earthly Life with His Eternal Pre-existence on one side and His Eternal Glory now and hereafter on the other.
And further, the centre thought of the 3rd Stanza is the Praise expressed in the 11th line, Day by day we magnify Thee, and we worship Thy name ever world without end. This line corresponds to the 3rd line, the Ter-Sanctus, which is the centre of the 1st Stanza. The first and third Stanzas are hereby made {69} to balance one another around the middle Stanza, both in the number of their lines and the plan of their arrangement.
Noting now that the plan and method of the Hymn are governed by the centre line and the centre thought in all the respects to which we have referred, we cannot fail to notice afresh that the Redeemer's Earthly Life is the centre thought of the whole Hymn—the centre line of the centre Stanza around which everything is grouped.
The division of the Hymn into Stanzas is, we suppose, conclusively proved. We may further infer that the Te and Tibi of Stanza i. are addressed to the same Person as the Tu of Stanza ii. and the Te of Stanza iii. i.e. to Christ. Stanzas ii. and iii. are evidently so addressed, and Stanza i. could not, we think, have made the pronouns so prominent without having the same reference.
It may however be objected that lines 1, 3, and 5 cannot be addressed to Christ. A little consideration will show that they can.