The Church's One Foundation

The Church’s one foundationIs Jesus Christ, her Lord;She is His new creationBy water and the Word.From heav’n He came and sought herTo be His holy bride;With His own blood He bought her,And for her life He died.

Elect from every nation,Yet one o’er all the earth,Her charter of salvationOne Lord, one faith, one birth.One holy name she blesses,Partakes one holy food,And to one hope she presses,With every grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonderMen 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 weepingShall be the morn of song.

Mid toil and tribulationAnd tumult of her warShe waits the consummationOf peace forevermore,Till with the vision gloriousHer longing eyes are blestAnd the great Church victoriousShall be the Church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath unionWith God, the Three in One,And mystic, sweet communionWith 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.