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 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 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 tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace of evermore;
Till with the vision glorious
her longing eyes are blest,
And 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:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee