John Trapp on Song of Solomon 5:7

Verſ. 7. The Watch-men that went about the City, &c.] See the Note on Chap. 3.3. The Miniſters that walk the round, that watch for mens ſouls, Heb. 13.17. Iſa. 61.6. that know how to time a word, Iſa. 51.4. theſe ſmote her with the tongue, they buffeted her by juſt and ſharp reproofs for her negligence, they unveiled her for being abroad at that time of night (which ſhe needed not to have been, but for her own ſlothfulneſs) they dealt little better with her, than as if ſhee had been ſome light and lewd woman: and all this they might well do out of zeal to God, and godly jealouſie for her ſouls good; Unleſs it were that Hypocriſie of jealouſie exerciſed by the falſe Apoſtles over the Galatians, Chap. 4.17. Not Paſtours, but Impoſtours; not Over-ſeers, Non Epiſcopi, ſed Apoſcopi. but By-ſeers; potius graſſatores; quam cuſtodes, homonym[illegible: 1 letter]s tamen ſic dicti, out-throats rather than Keepers, wicked men taking upon them to bee Watch-men, Church-officers in name, but Church-robbers in deed. Such were thoſe, Iſa. 66.5. that hated and caſt out the true worſhippers, under a pretence of, Let the Lord bee glorified. Such an one was Diotrephes, that prating prelate, [non-Latin text not transcribed], that villanouſly intreated Gods faithful people, 3 John 9.10. And ſuch is that Man of ſinne, that Antichriſt of Rome, who, for ſo many hundred years together, hath ſmitten with the fiſt of wickedneſs, hath wounded and drawn blood from Chriſts deareſt Spouſe, and deſpoiled her of her veyl: that is, laboured to diſpriviledge her, and deprive her of that purity and ſoundneſs of Doctrine that hee hath committed unto her, as a means to hold her in the duty of all holy obedience and ſubjection unto him. 1 Cor. 11.5, 6, 10. Of theſe falſe friends, and deadly enemies, the Church here heavily complains, and might well have proceeded againſt them, as thoſe ſix Martyrs, burnt by Harpsfield, Archdeacon of Canterbury, when Queen Mary lay a dying. One of thoſe ſix that were then burnt (and thoſe were the laſt) John Cornford (ſtirred with a vehement zeal of God when they were excommunicated) pronounced ſentence of excommunication againſt all Papiſts in theſe words: In the name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and by the power of his holy Spirit, and authority of his holy Catholick and Apoſtolick Church, wee do give here into the hands of Satan, to bee deſtroyed, the bodies of all thoſe blaſphemers and hereticks that do maintain any errour againſt his moſt holy Word,Act. & Mon. fol. 1862. or do condemn his moſt holy truth for hereſie, to the maintenance of any falſe Church, or feigned religion: ſo that by this thy moſt juſt judgement, (O moſt mighty God) againſt thine adverſaries, thy true religion may bee known, to thy great glory, and our comfort, and the edifying of all our Nation: Good Lord, ſo bee it.