The Increase Of Christ

As the body is the fulness
To express our life,
So to Christ the Church, His Body,
Doth express His life.

E'en as Eve is part of Adam
Taken out of him,
So the Church is Christ's own increase
With Himself within.

As from out the buried kernel
Many grains are formed,
As the grains together blended
To a loaf are formed;

So the Church, of many Christians,
Christ doth multiply,
Him expressing as one Body,
God to glorify.

As the branches of the grapevine
Are its outward spread,
With it one, abiding, bearing
Clusters in its stead;

So the Church's many members
Christ's enlargement are,
One with Him in life and living,
Spreading Him afar.

Fulness, increase, duplication,
His expression full,
Growth and spread, continuation,
Surplus plentiful,

Is the Church to Christ, and thereby
God in Christ may be
Glorified thru His redeemed ones
To eternity.

Thus the Church and Christ together,
God's great mystery,
Is the mingling of the Godhead
With humanity.