Clavis cantici, or, An exposition of the Song of Solomon

The ends are principally three. 1. Glorifying God, and making his praise glorious: thus Histories of the Lords dealing with his people of old, and thus the cases of others, in our singing of them, serve to that end, that he did such works, that such a case was once sung to him, and such a Saint was so dealt with; otherwise, we might scruple to sing, Psal. 44. We have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, and other Scriptures, as well as cases: And so the most part of the subject of praise, and the Book of the Psalms, would be laid aside as useless, and not so much as to be read; for we ought not to read, or say an untruth, more then to sing it.

The ends are principally three. 1. Glorifying God, and making his praise glorious: thus Histories of the Lords dealing with his people of old, and thus the cases of others, in our singing of them, serve to that end, that he did such works, that such a case was once sung to him, and such a Saint was so dealth with; otherwise, we might scruple to sing, Psal. 44. We have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, and other Scriptures, as well as cases: And so the most part of the subject of praise, and the Book of the Psalms, would be laid aside as uselesse, and not so much as to be read; for we ought not to read, or say an untruth, more then to sing it.

A second end is, edifying of others with whom we join, as well as studying edification our selves: So, Col. 3. 16. the end to be proposed in singing, is, teaching and admonishing one another, in Psalms, and Hymns, and spiritual Songs. And suppose, some found themselves unsuitable in their own case, to the purpose that is to be sung, yet will it not teach them what they should be, and admonish them because they are not such?

A second end is, edifying of others with whom we joyn, as well as studying edification our selves: So,