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.

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.

3 'Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult 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.

4 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.