The songs of the Old Testament translated into English measures, preseruing the naturall phrase and genuine sense of the holy text: and with as little circumlocution as in most prose translations. To euery song is added a new and easie tune, and a short prologue also, deliuering the effect and vse thereof, for this profit of vnlearned readers. By George Wither. Cum priuilegio permissu superiorum.

The Argument and Vse.

AS Ionah fled from the presence of the LORD, he was followed by a tempest, whose furie would not be allayed, vntil the offender was cast into the Sea, where God had mer∣cie on him, and sent a Fish to preserue him; Which in humane reason, seemed a more terrible dan∣ger, then that he was deliuered from. But the safetie which at his first entrance, hee found in so vn∣safe a place, made him sensible of Gods fauour, and begat in him a firme beliefe that he should be totally deliuered. And thereupon, (being yet in the Fishes belly) made this Prayer, to praise God for deliuering him in so great an extremity. (And he did it as spea∣king

of a thing already done, the better to shew vs the soundnesse of his faith. The things remarkeable are these: The place where he prayed, the terrible and vn∣auiodable danger that compassed him; the dispaire he was nigh falling into, the timely application of Gods mercy, the comfort it infused into him, the occasions which draw men into these perils, the vowe made vp∣on this deliuerance, and lastly the reason of that vowe.

Now, this buriall of Ionas in the fishes belly, and his deliuery from thence, was a signe of the buriall and resurrection of our blessed Sauiour, Mat. 12.40. And therefore, we must not thinke he made this Prayer one∣ly in his owne person: but in the misticall body of Iesus Christ also. For, by contemplating the circumstances of his danger and deliuerance, (and hauing the spirit of prophecie) he apprehended the misteries of our Redemp∣tion. By the ship ready to be sunke, through that tem∣pest in which he was cast away, he conceiued the wrath of God against the world for sinne; and that it would not be appeased without satisfaction. By his owne offence, he foresaw, h••w Christ hauing taken our sinne vpon him, should (to bring peace vnto the world) be deliue∣red ouer vnto the rage of Pilate and the Iewes. By his being receiued into the fishes belly, and there preserued aliue; he foresaw how Christ should be swallowed vp of the graue, and yet remaine vncorrupted. And by the fore-sight he had of his owne comming safe to the shore againe: he apprehended that ioyful resurrection of our Redeemer: whose misticall body (the Church) lay all that while, as it were in the very Jawes of death and hell. These things Ionah apprehended through the spirit of prophecie, (and by the obiects aforesaid) com∣posed this Prayer, to set forth the mercies of God, and to expresse in what a fearefull estate mankinde was,

vntill Christ was risen againe in victory. And there∣fore, J thinke, as it will become vs Christians often to sing it in memory thereof; so especially vpon that day which we celebrate in memoriall of our Sauiours Resurrection.