A brief exposition of the whole book of Canticles, or Song of Solomon lively…

They found me,] And yet the Church enquireth not of them, as she had done before of other watchmen,^* Have you not seen him whom my soul loves? for she knew these watchmen were of another spirit, rather wolves in sheeps clothing, and more ready to beat her from Christ, then to bring her to Christ. They smote me with censures of excommunications, as Gregory the third Pope of Rome did Leo Isauricus ⟨p. 152⟩for his endeavours. Afterwards, when sundry Christians, having intelligence that the Bishops and Doctors were assembled in a Temple at Byzantium, to give sentence for restoring of Images, in the days of the Empress Irene, came upon them, and forced them with weapons to leave off such decrees; these people were afterwards dis-armed and banished into sundry Islands. Thus were the faithful smitten with the censures of Excommunication by the watchmen of the City; of banishment by the keepers of the walls.

They found me,] And yet the Church enquireth not of them, as shee had done before of other watchmen,^* Have you not seen him whom my soule loves? for she knew these watchmen were of another spirit, rather wolves in sheeps cloathing, and more ready to beat her from Christ, then to bring her to Christ. They smote me with censures of excommunications, as Gregorie the third Pope of Rome did Leo Isauricus ⟨p. 152⟩for his endeavours. Afterwards, when sundry Christians, having intelligence that the Bishops and Doctors were assembled in a Temple at Byzantium, to give sentence for restoring of Images, in the daies of the Empresse Irene, came upon them, and forced them with weapons to leave off such decrees; these people were afterwards dis-armed and banished into sundry Islands. Thus were the faithfull smitten with the censures of Excommunication by the watchmen of the Citie; of banishment by the keepers of the walls.

1. *Chap. 3. 3.