The church's one foundation

- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 'Mid toil, and tribulation,
- And tumult of her war,
- She waits the consummation
- Of peace forever more;
- Till with the vision glorious
- Her longing eyes are blessed,
- And the great church victorious
- Shall be the church at rest.
- 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 with Thee
Album: English Hymns, Artist: Samuel John Stone, Language: English, Viewed: 746 times