The Church has one foundation;
‘Tis Jesus Christ, the 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 brought her,
And for her life he died.

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.

Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By her 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 for ever more.
Till with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victor
-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.