The Canticles, or Song of Songs Opened and Explained

I Am the rose of Sharon, and the lilly of the vallies. verse 2 As the lilly among thornes, is so my love among the daughters. verse 3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons, I sate downe under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste. verse 4 He brought me to the banquetting house, and his banner over me was love. verse 5 Stay mee with flaggons, comfort me with apples, for I am sicke of love. verse 6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand does embrace me. verse 7 I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes, and by the Hinds of the field, that you stirre not up nor awake my love till he please. verse 8 The voice of my beloved, behold hee commeth leaping upon the mountaines, skipping upon the hils. verse 9 My beloved is like a Roe or a young Hart: behold, hee standeth behind our wall, hee looketh forth at the window, shewing himselfe through the lattice. verse 10 My beloved spake, and said to me, Rise up my love, my faire one, and come away. verse 11 For loe, the winter is past, the raine is over and gone. verse 12 The flowers appeare on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. verse 13 The figtree putteth forth her greene figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise my love, my faire one, and come away. verse 14 O my dove! that art in the clefts of the rocke, in the secret place of the staires, let mee see your countenance, let me heare your voice, for sweet is your voice, and your countenance is comely. verse 15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoile the vines, for our vines have tender grapes. verse 16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: hee feedeth among the lillies. verse 17 Untill the day breake, and the shadowes flee away: turne my beloved, and be you like a Roe, or a young Hart upon the mountaines of Bether.

Cant. 2. verse 1. I am the rose of Sharon, and the lilly of the vallies.

The estate of the Church from Josiah's repaire of the Temple, (in the last verse of the last chapter) is described here,

First, before the captivity, verse 1. 2. under the last dayes of Iosiah, Iehohahaz, Iehojakim, Iehojachin and Zedechiah.

Secondly, in the captivity,

1. At home, the remnant, verse 3.

2. Abroad, in Babylon, verse 4.—7.

Thirdly, in the end, after the captivity, where is described,

1. Her calling out of captivity, to returne and worship in Jerusalem, verse 8.—13.

Secondly, her estate at Jerusalem till the dayes of the Maccabees, verse 14.—17.

I am the rose,] The rose is first, lovely for beauty.

Secondly, sweet for smell, comforting both heart and braine.

Thirdly, wholesome for use and medicinable.

Of Sharon,] Sharon was a fruitfull field lying under Bashan, where the heards were wont to feed, excellent for fatnesse and fruitfulnesse.

And the lilly,] The lilly is first fragrant,

Secondly faire, yet of the vallies, where the heards use to feed, as in Sharon.

These words then set forth the Churches complaint of that time, as some interpreters of chiefe worth have conceived it; though the words may as fitly be uttered by Christ himselfe, to set forth both his owne disposition and the Churches estate.

The first, Hee was then the rose of the field, the lilly of the vallies, to shew, that when the Church despised him, to converse with her in the Temple, and the worship there celebrated:

Hee was now ready to leave his Temple, and to be a Sanctuary to his Church abroad.

Secondly, Christ is here described according to the estate of the Church of that time, which wanted culture, ordering and dressing, thornes and bryars growing up in the Church, and not weeded out: the wicked are as thornes and bryars, and store of them growing up in the Church.

When the Church is as a garden inclosed, then bryars and thorns are weeded out; but neither Magistrate nor Minister did his duty in removing offences in those dayes: so lillies of the field are taken for lillies neglected, which neither take care for themselves, nor others take care for them.

Thirdly, As the rose of the field, or lillies of the vallies, or lilly among the thornes, is continually,

First, subject to be prickt and rent with thornes.

Secondly, trodden underfoot by the heards of beasts, so the Church was then subject,

1. To be vexed with the wicked growing up with her.

2. To be trodden under foot by the beasts of the field, the Babilonians, the Egyptians.

Josiah, how sweet a Roe! how faire a lilly! yet how untimely trodden down by Necho: the other Kings were placed, displaced, imprisoned, and the whole kingdome with them, at the pleasure of the Babylonians and Egyptians: and in the end, the whole Church laid wast by the Babylonians.

Againe, Christ is the rose and lilly, as being,

First, sweet with the savour of his graces.

Secondly, beautifull.

Thirdly, medicinable.

When the Church is corrupt in it selfe, it is yet faire and sweet in Christ; in him our life is hid in our worst taking: He being white as a lilly by the purity of his righteousnesse, we likewise are white as lillies in him cloathed with his righteousnesse.

As the Apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sonnes, I sate mee downe under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.] A tree first, not tall as the Cedar of Lebanon, not strong as the Oakes of Bashan; but a tree of middle stature, implying an inferiour Magistrate, not so high and mighty as the Monarchs of the world, yet such whose shadow yeelds,

First, refreshing to a man wandring and fainting in a wilde forrest.

Secondly, whose fruit is sweet and comfortable, such was Christ to his Church, dispensing himselfe in; Gedaliah, whom Nebuchadnezzar made governour over the remnant of the people that were left in the land.

First, under him, as under a shadow, they were fearelesse and safe: But after he was cut down, they were driven from under his shadow, and durst stay no longer in their own countrey, which was left as a wilde forrest.

Secondly, they gathered,

First, much sweet summer fruit.

Secondly, much good instruction and direction from Ieremiah and Baruch, who both lived with him.

Wine cellar,] Heb. House of wine; not so fitly termed banquetting house, which Solomon expresseth by another name. A wine cellar is a low vault, under the ground, darke, cold, raw and gloomy; yet replenished with vessels of liquor, which refresheth and inlargeth the heart, and openeth the mouth.

This house, to the Church, was Babylon, where God brought his people into captivity, which at first view seemed doleful and heavy, but afterward yielded to them many sweet tastes, yes, deep draughts of God's favor: God's Spirit coming upon men, makes them seem as full of new wine. It refreshes and enlarges the heart, and opens the mouth,

First, to the praise of God.

Secondly, to the edification of his Church; such a spirit God poured upon Daniel, Ezekiel, Shadrach and his fellows in the captivity.

And his banner over me was love.]

Banner.

First, for an ensign of defence to the Church.

Secondly, for a flag of defiance to their enemies: how lovingly and gloriously (as with a banner of love displayed) did God defend the three children and Daniel himself.

How did God offer defiance to idolatry in the three children.

Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love.] I, the Church is here faint and sick, and ready to swoon, for desire of further fellowship with Christ, and for her own help desires,

First, flagons of wine to stay her.

Secondly, apples to comfort her; as indeed apples do comfort the heart and stomach, prevent swooning, and restrain poison: Thus Daniel, through abundance of Revelations was faint and sick, and desirous of more clear knowledge of his visions, and of the Church's deliverance, and found the Angel ready to refresh and strengthen him: And the other members of the Church feeling such sweet taste of Christ's presence among them in the captivity, were (doubtless) earnestly desirous of more full enjoying him perfectly,

First, by the ministry of the Prophets, as by flagons of wine.

Secondly, by the magistracy of Daniel and his fellows, whom the King set up for inferior magistrates, as by apples, the fruit of the apple trees.

His left hand is under my head, his right hand does embrace me.]

The words may be either a narration how it is, or a prayer that it may be; so in the original, the blessings of God's left hand are riches and glory, and of his right hand length of days, or immortality: Riches and honors God conveys to us by the hand of the magistrate, immortality by the hand of ministers.

The Church therefore desires God in her captivity, (which thing also God granted) that,

First princes should be the lifters up of her head, her nursing fathers and mothers.

Secondly, Prophets and Priests might deliver to her the sweet testimonies of Christ's embracing love, this was done by evil Merodach to Jehojakin, and by the ministry of Daniel and Ezekiel.

The Princes allowed them great liberty, the Prophets dispensed heavenly and comfortable doctrine.

I charge you, O you daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes, and by the Hinds of the field, that you stir not up, nor awake my love till he please.] Hebrew: I adjure you, that is, I cause you to swear by the Roes, and by the Hinds of the field, not by them as the persons you are to swear by, but by those for whose sake, and by whose means they are to take themselves bound as by a solemn oath (not to stir up or awake my love) that is, not to provoke Christ to exercise his Church by any change of their estate, till it shall please himself.

These Roes and Hinds are wild and fearful creatures, easily and swiftly running away, yet otherwise willing to feed with the sheep, such were then the Gentiles willing to converse with the Jews, and to come towards religion: yet if the estate of the Church should have proved more troublesome by any indiscreet or offensive carriage of the Jews, they would soon have started back from fellowship with them; for their sakes therefore the Church charges her daughters, as by an oath, not to disturb the peace of Babel, not to seek preposterously deliverance from there, before the time that Christ had appointed, lest it turned to the disturbance of her peace; and to the carrying away such Gentiles as were coming on to be Proselytes.

Use 1 This may first let us see that notwithstanding the reformation of religion, Christ may be pleased rather to live abroad in the fields, than at home, where the people would willingly assemble: The house of God was now repaired, and the bed green: and the Church invites Christ to come in to her, in it, yet he disposes himself so, as more willing to call her abroad. So we may see, that notwithstanding the purity and simplicity of Christ's worship, yet Christ is not bound to any place; if things were never so reformed, yet he might leave us, and go into the wild field. Rome has long doted on Peter's Chair, and Jerusalem might as well have bragged of her privileges as any other place, but Christ leaves them: Never rest we then in any outward estate, for Christ may leave us. The Palatinate has been as reformed as any Church for doctrine, and though they might say, their bed was green, and their beams were of cedar, and their rafters of fir, yet God has left them: for do we think that if God had been there, these things had befallen them that now are.

Use 2 Secondly, this lets us see, that though magistrates and ministers should both neglect their duties in ordering and dressing the Church, so that the wicked were tolerated to grow up with them; yet God keeps the spirits of his children sweet and pure, as roses and lilies in the midst of briars and thorns: be not deceived then, for there may be roses and lilies growing, where is nothing but briars and thorns to scratch them: It is not straight no Church, when it is there; for Christ can see his Church, though she be there.

Use 3 Thirdly, we may here observe against the Separatist, that it is not straight no Church, that is commingled (as they speak) with notorious wicked ones: the Church may be Christ's love, yes, and a fragrant and pure flower in his sight and nostrils, and yet live among briars and thorns.

Use 4 Fourthly, observe the state of the Church, is sometimes exposed to opportunity of treading under-foot, no wall nor hedge to fence them: It may lie open,

First, to scratching and rending of thorns.

Secondly, to treading under-foot of the wild beasts.

Use 5 Fifthly, this serves to direct inferior magistrates, how to carry themselves towards the Church, to be as apple trees in a wood, wherein the Church travailing may find,

First, shadow of protection.

Secondly, sweet fruit of loving mercy.

Use 6 Sixthly, we may here see the wonderful power of God, and goodness to his Church, in turning their house of bondage into a house of wine, in spreading also his banner of love over them in their greatest distresses and dangers: what more doleful times of his Church than captivity, when men would think God carries his Church into a dungeon, than he carries her into a wine cellar. This may be a ground of solid comfort to us in our worst takings, for though we be in the greatest extremity, yes, in the deepest dungeon of darkness, God can sustain and uphold us here, and refresh us with many comforts.

Use 7 Seventhly, this ought to stir us up to more ardent and longing affections after Christ, so that as we be ready to faint and swoon through earnest affections, after more full and familiar fellowship with him. It was Daniel's case, he was sick of love, so let it be with us for want of God's presence; and pray that God would refresh us with his presence, and send good ministers and good magistrates to be as nursing fathers to his Church.

Use 8 Eighthly, this serves to teach, and straightly to charge the children of God, when they enjoy God's presence and favor in the ministry and magistracy, sustaining and comforting them, to take heed of disturbing their peace,

1. By any indiscreet, or

2. Offensive carriage, for it is

First, a disturbance to Christ himself, he is stirred up and awaked, (as it were) before he please.

Secondly, the roes and hinds of the field, young comers on in religion, are soon scared away by dangers and troubles arising against the Church; therefore we should be careful and take heed we provoke not any dog to bark, for then they will be gone. Let us therefore walk wisely, and inoffensively, that none be discouraged, that Christ, who does sustain us, and refresh us, may dwell with us for ever.

The voice of my beloved, behold he comes leaping upon the mountains, and skipping upon the hills.]

In these words are described,

First, the Church's deliverance out of captivity: where is laid down,

First, the preparation to the deliverance in the causes of it; which were

First, the voice of the beloved.

Secondly, the coming of the beloved, and that swiftly,

First leaping and skipping.

Secondly, as a young hart or roe.

Thirdly, his besieging Babel and overcoming it set forth in three actions:

First, standing behind the wall.

Secondly, looking out at the windows.

Thirdly, showing himself through the lattice.

Secondly, the calling out of captivity:

First, to go out of Babylon into their own country; whereunto there are motives

First, from removal of impediments, verse 11.

Secondly, from store of opportunities, ver. 12, 13.

Thirdly, to worship God in public meetings in their own country.

Secondly, the state of the Church returned into her own country, in regard,

First, of opposition of enemies, subtle and ravenous: where is set forth,

First, their nature; they are foxes, little foxes.

Secondly, the harm they do; they spoil the vines.

Thirdly, there take us the foxes.

Secondly, of their communion with Christ's outward enemies, and inward abuses restrained, partly, more plentiful and entire.

First, My beloved is mine, and I am his.

Secondly, Feedeth among the lilies.

Secondly, interrupted, and yet by turns Christ often and speedily, visiting and succouring them, and that to the time of the coming of Christ, and the abolishing of the shadows of the ceremonial Law.

The voice of my beloved.] This was the report of Cyrus coming to besiege Babel, and his mustering together of many nations to that service; which rumour was discerned, by the faithful, to be the accomplishment of the prophecies given them before, of deliverance by Cyrus. And therefore the Church hearing this rumour, suddenly acknowledges in it the promise and voice of Christ: and so it was no less grateful to them, than doleful and dreadful to the Babylonians.

He comes leaping upon the mountains.

My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart; behold he stands behind our wall, he looks forth at the window, showing himself through the lattice.]

These words express the great expedition and speed which Cyrus made in his journey against Babel, all the nations lying in the way,

First, either of themselves setting open their gates to him, as weary of the Babylonian yoke.

Secondly, or speedily surprised and subdued.

He stands behind the wall,] Laying siege to the walls of Babylon.

He looks forth at the windows:] That is, he gives some glimpse of hope, of further enlargement to the Church.

He shows himself through the lattice.] As in the original, any place burned through in the siege of Babel, Cyrus diverting the course of Euphrates another way, which before came through the midst of the city, burning up the reeds, and drying up the water passages, he showed himself through the place, and entered the city.

My beloved spoke and said to me, Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away:] That is, Cyrus made open proclamation for my departure out of Babel, and return into mine own country. Though Cyrus was a heathen, and knew not Christ the beloved, yet the Church in Cyrus saw the hand and voice of Christ, using Cyrus as an instrument for deliverance; from where Ezra says, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus.

For lo the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.]

That is, first, partly it was now spring time of the year, the winter and rain were now over, which else might have hindered travel.

Secondly, the metaphorical winter of Babel's captivity, and all the storms of it were blown over; from where it is, the Chaldean word is here used to signify this winter, not the common Hebrew word.

The flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land:]

Which, with the words following, is,

First, partly a description of the spring time, which invited them to this journey.

Secondly, partly a setting before them of such conveniences, which, like to the spring time, might invite them to this journey.

The flowers appear on the earth:] That is, even they of the people of the countries among whom they sojourned; they both,

First, praised God for their deliverance.

Secondly, furnished them with gold and silver, and other useful things for their journey.

The time of the singing of birds is come:] To wit, that the priests and Levites should now sing and praise God in their own countries; which they thought unseasonable to do in a strange land.

The voice of the turtle is heard in our land.] That is, of Christ the faithful spouse of his Church, who is mourning in Judea, because he finds not his mate (the Church) there.

The fig-tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell,] That is, the chief of the Fathers and Elders of the people, they show themselves forward to countenance the journey, and to prepare for it.

Arise my love, my fair one, and come away.] Being twice repeated, it argues the people were slack to leave their states, which they had planted themselves in at Babel; and therefore stood in need of calling on again and again.

O my dove, that are in the clefts of the rock, in the secret place of the stairs, let me see your countenance, let me hear your voice, for sweet is your voice, and your countenance comely.

O my dove.] That is, my chaste, innocent and fair spouse.

That are in the clefts of the rock, in the secret place of the stairs,] That now does worship me in holes and corners.

Let me see your countenance, let me hear your voice:] Let me see you assembled into the face of a Church, in my Sanctuary, let me there hear you calling upon me, singing praise to me, speaking my word.

For sweet is your voice, and your countenance comely.]

First, the voice of the Church, at one and the same time,

First, rejoicing in God's wonderful mercy.

Secondly, weeping and bewailing, partly,

First, their own unworthiness.

Secondly, the decays of the Church, in regard of former times.

Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.] That is, restrain (the foxes, the little foxes) the enemies of the Church, of greater or lesser power; such as were the Samaritans. These spoiled the vines, hindered the proceeding of the building of the Temple, and the peace of the Church. And therefore Tobiah said truly of himself and his fellows, that they, as foxes, going upon the weak foundation of the walls of Jerusalem, might easily demolish the same. Yet these foxes in the end were taken and restrained, First, partly by the Edict of Darius: Secondly, partly by the hanging of Haman and his sons, and the destruction of some other of the Jews' enemies.

My beloved is mine and I am his.] The Church enjoys familiar and comfortable communion with Christ, these enemies being quelled.

She feeds among the lilies.] That is, among pure and fair Christians, all corruptions being weeded out, both of strange wives, of usury, of right of the Levites' maintenance and ministration, and profanation of the Sabbath.

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away: turn my beloved, and be you like a Roe or a young Hart, upon the mountains of Bether.

Turn my beloved.] That is, return often to visit and succour me.

As a Roe, or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bether.] That is, swiftly and speedily, Bether being near to them on the other side Jordan; as who should say, Though you sometime turn from us, yet be not far, but ready ever and anon to return and succour us.

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away.] That is, till Christ come, and the ceremonial shadows vanish.

Use 1 First, this teaches us that in all the instruments of the Church's deliverance, we should see and discern Christ speaking and working in them: See here the Church looks not at Cyrus so much, but at Christ in him. Do they hear a rumour of a deliverance? It is the voice of Christ, and it must needs be a strong voice which Christ is the author of. The wisest Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they say it is Christ, and all the rest yield; and the Church sees Christ come skipping. Does it see Cyrus about the walls? She sees Christ there. Does she see Cyrus showing himself through the lattice? She sees Christ there. Does she see when he is possessed there, and makes proclamation to them to go up again to Jerusalem? She looks at it as Christ's voice, saying, Arise my love my fair one, and come away.

So the holy Ghost teaches, what favor any does show to the Church, it is Christ that does it; so take it, that if any good befall the Church, it is Christ that does it. If any lead into captivity, Nebuchadnezzar, or any other, it is Christ that leads her into a wine cellar. If there be any noise or work of deliverance, it is Christ that comes leaping and skipping. So in all the calamities, and in all the blessings that befall the Church, ascribe all to Christ. The same hand that gave, the same hand has taken away. God turned the captivity of Job, and God turned again the captivity of his people. This is a wonderful stay to God's Church, and to every member of it; for man cannot bring it into captivity, and bring it out again. Man's hand cannot bring hard things upon the Church, nor bring her out again of them; for if it were in men's hands, or in Satan's, or in our own hands, it would not go well with us; but being in Christ's hands alone, it may be a stay and a comfort.

Use 2 Secondly, this teaches us, that when the time of the Church's deliverance is come, Christ will come quickly and speedily for her deliverance, leaping and skipping as a Roe or a Hart. The winter shall not always remain on the Church, no, not when she deserves a black winter. The patient abiding of the Saints shall not always be forgotten. Suppose God leads his Church into captivity seven years, yes seventy years; yet it will not always continue. This may serve to comfort us in the distresses of the Church, at home or abroad; God will not always punish with reproach or desolation, but the time will come these will be gone and flee away.

Use 3 Thirdly, this lets us see the Church profits by calamities; she comes out better from them than she went into them: she entered and went into captivity hating God, defiled with many abominations; she returns out, My love, my fair one. The Church of God, and the members of it are more lovely in God's sight by the hard times that pass over them: when this Church had been seventy years in captivity, (a hard time it was, yet) they lost nothing by it — they kissed his Rod, and sought God; and now he styles them lovely. He loathed them because they loathed him; they were now tried and purified; before they were loathsome, but are now lovely; before hated, but now loved. But see what a blessed use chastisements are of to the Church: how loathsome soever we go into captivity, when we defile ourselves with lusts and sins, yet when we have been thoroughly humbled with some crosses, how fair come we out! My son despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. And why does God say (Deuteronomy 8:16), He proved them to do them good; when he says, my love, it is more than lovely, it is love, it is love itself; and fair one is more than fair? It is good for me (says David) that I have been afflicted: so the Church before her affliction was loathsome, foul, hated; but now she is fair and lovely.

You are fair oh my love.]

Use 4 Fourthly, this lets us see, the Church's winter: storms shall not always lie upon her, but they shall in the end blow over: The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous.

Use 5 Fifthly, we may see that outward comforts are easily able to drown in us a longing after God's ordinances: the contentment that some found in captivity, made them stand in need of often calling to return to Sion.

Use 6 Sixthly, we may learn here that the face of the Church is not always visible and conspicuous in the eyes of men, but always in the eyes of God; for they meet under the stairs, and worship God in holes and corners. And a while after Christ says, Why do you lie thus under the stairs, and in clifts of rocks, let me see your face, and hear your voice. The Church of Rome advances herself that she has always been conspicuous; but this is no true sign of a true Church, for the true Church is not always conspicuous. Though Christ always sees some to meet in corners and holes, yet not always in solemn assemblies. The Dove of Christ Jesus sometimes makes her rest in the rocks, and builds under the stairs, where Christ sees her, but not publicly.

Use 7 Seventhly, see here the Church needs not Angels and Saints to mediate for her, her own voice is sweet and countenance comely in God's estimation: At that day you shall ask in my name; and I say not to you that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father himself loves you because you have loved me. Christ tells us, he shall have no great need to pray for us, for God himself loves us, to hear our voice, and to see us; let us then not be afraid to put forth our voices: labor then for such a spirit as to grieve for our sins, and to rejoice in God's mercies; for God is pleased with that. He is a true citizen of Sion, that when he abounds in God's mercies, yet he weeps for his sins; and when he weeps for his sins, yet he is thankful for God's mercies.

Use 8 Again, observe, the Church shall always be troubled with some enemies, Take us the foxes that spoil the vines: There shall be ever some Sanballat, or Tobiah, or some other to be nibbling at the Church of God: wonder not at this, for this will be so; but observe touching these enemies of the Church,

First, they shall deal subtly and craftily with her.

Secondly, they may disturb and hinder her peace and proceedings; but

Thirdly, they shall in the end be restrained, as in (Revelation 19:20): And the beast was taken, and with him the false Prophet that wrought miracles before him, &c. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Therefore let such foxes know the time will come when Christ will either take them, and chain them, and bind them up, as he did Sanballat, Tobiah, Shether-boznai: or else hang them up, as he did Haman and his sons. Let men then take heed that they do not push at the Church, for God will either chain them up, or hang them out of the way.

Use 9 Lastly, here we may see, when the enemies of the Church are restrained or destroyed, and corruptions weeded out of it, the Church then enjoys sweet, and safe, and full fellowship with the Lord Jesus, and he with her: He gives her pledges of his favor, and she gives him pledges of pure worshipping him; He feeds them with his ordinances, they him with their sacrifices. And they that would procure Christ this, let them provide for weeding out of their sins; as usury, wicked marriages, profanations of God's Sabbaths, &c. Such Churches shall be sweet, and much sweet solace shall they enjoy one with another, Christ with them, and they with him.