Full Lyrics
VERSE 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.
VERSE 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.
VERSE 3
Tho' with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore opprest,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distrest:
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 4
Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumults of her war,
She waits the consummation
of peace for evermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious,
Shall be the church at rest.
VERSE 5
Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won:
Oh, happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace, that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee!
