Monday, December 10, 2012

Lyra Fidelium: ARTICLE IX. “...the Holy Catholic* Church: the communion of the saints...” Also known as "The Church's One Foundation"

Lyra Fidelium: Twelve Hymns on the Twelve Articles of the Apostle's Creed
by S. J. Stone, B.A.,
CURATE OF WINDSOR
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"I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also."
ARTICLE IX.
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“...the Holy Catholic* Church: the communion of the saints...”
"He is the Head of the Body, the Church."
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[Editor's note:  In the 1866 version of Lyra Fidelium  Scriptures  were placed beside  each verse in the twelve  hymns. The Scriptures supporting each hymn are numbered below the summary.]
(Tune No. 142.)


1. THE Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word:
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride,
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

2. She is from every nation
Yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth,
One Holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one Holy Food,
And to one Hope she presses
With every grace endued.

3. The Church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish,
Is with her to the end:
Though there be those who hate her,
And false sons in her pale,
Against or foe or traitor
She ever shall prevail.

4. Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder
By heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
shall be the morn of song!

5. 'Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest!

6. Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won,
With all her sons and daughters
Who, by the Master's Hand
Led through the deathly waters,
Repose in Eden-land.

7. O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee:
There, past the border mountains,
Where in sweet vales the Bride
With Thee by living fountains
For ever shall abide!


SUMMARY OF TRUTHS CONFESSED IN ARTICLE IX
        I believe that the Church of Christ is, has been, and will be one and the same: that it is holy in respect of (1) its Author and End, (2) the vocation of all the baptized, (3) the true saints within it:  that it is One, by unity of origination, of faith, of hope, of charity, of sacraments, of discipline: that it is Catholic, as being universally disseminated, as teaching all truth, as possession all graces: that its truly sanctified members have communion with the Holy Trinity, with the Angels, and with all Saints on earth and in Paradise.
 
1.
"OTHER foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is JESUS Christ."
"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
"Even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctity and cleanse it."
"The Church of God which He purchased with His Own Blood."
 
2.
"Out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation."
"We being many are one Bread and one Body."
"One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism."
"There is none other Name under Heaven...whereby we must be saved."
"We all are partakers of that one Bread."
"Called in one hope of our calling."
"...grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."
 

3.
"Upon this Rock will I build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."
"Lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world."
"Marvel not if the world hate you."
"False brethren."
"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy! when I fall I shall arise."

4.
"By reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."
"I hear that there be divisions among you."
"Watch unto prayer."
"Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles."
"Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting..."
"The redeemed of the Lord...shall come with singing unto Zion."
 
5.
"We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and against powers,"&c.
"In all these things we are more than conquerors."
"The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."
"We know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."
"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God."
 
6.
"Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son JESUS Christ." - "...the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you."
"Ye are come unto the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels, and to the general assembly and Church of the firstborn...and to the spirits of just men made perfect."
""When thou passeth through the waters I will be with thee."
"...with Me in Paradise."

7.
"Faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy."
"Humble yourselves...that He may exalt you in due time."
"He carried me...to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the Holy Jerusalem."
"The Lamb...shall lead them unto the living fountains of waters."
"The tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them."

* The word "catholic" in this context does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church but means "universal or including people all around the world." 

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