The Church's One Foundation

Verse 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. Verse 2 Elect 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. Verse 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. Verse 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! Verse 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. Verse 6 Yet she on earth hath union With God the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won, O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we Like them, the meek and lowly, On high may dwell... That we may dwell... That we will dwell with Thee.