Page:MeditationsOnTheMysteriesOfOurHolyV1.djvu/35

 ii. " Hymns" are affections of the praises of God, reckoning up all the excellences and perfections that He has, and the works that He has done, for which He is worthy to be praised and glorified of all creatures. Sometimes I may say with the Seraphim, " Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts!" or instead of this word "holy " I may put in other like words, saying, " Good," "merciful," "just," "wise" and "powerful" — "art Thou, my Lord, and most worthy to have Thy sanctity and Thy greatness preached by the Seraphim." Sometimes, with the elders in the Apocalypse, I will say, " 'Worthy' art Thou, O ' Lamb ' of God who didst die for us, ' to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and benediction' for ever and ever. Amen." And at other times, with the three children of Babylon that were in the furnace, I will invite all creatures to praise and glorify God. And, with David, I will excite my own soul and all its faculties to bless our Lord.

iii. " Spiritual canticles" are affections of spiritual joy and alacrity, rejoicing that God is who He is, and for the infinite good that He has in Himself, for the glory given to Him by the saints in heaven, for the services done Him by the just upon the earth; rejoicing within ourselves for the hope of eternal good, and for the possession which the blessed enjoy, saying that of the Apocalypse, " Hallelujah! for the Lord our God the almighty hath reigned. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has prepared herself."

iv. Thanksgivings are acts of thankfulness for the benefits we have received of our Lord, recounting them all very often, and praising Him for every one of them; and I should not only give Him thanks for the benefits I myself have received, but also for those which He has done to the