The Church’s One Foundation

1.

The Church’s one foundation

Is Jesus Christ her Lord;

She is his new creation

By water and the word:

From heav’n he came and sought her

To be his holy bride;

With his own blood he bought her,

And for her life he died.

2.

Elect from ev’ry 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 ev’ry grace endued.

3.

’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.

4.

Yet she on earth hath union

With God, the Three-in-One,

And with the saints, 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 with thee.