The Church Has 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

Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
Though foes would rend asunder,
The Rock where she doth rest,
Yet saints their faith 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 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.