An exposition with practical observations upon the three first chapters of the book of…

Thus I have given you the sum of those apprehensions which are offered for the making up of this Exposition; namely, That the word is here to be taken for that mighty fish Leviathan; And that, either in respect of those who make it their business and go out purposely to catch Leviathan, or of those who unawares are ready to be catched by Leviathan: The former disappointed of their hopes, and the latter surprised with fears, making a curse their refuge, and easing themselves by execrations.

Thus I have given you the summe of those apprehensions which are offered for the making up of this Exposition; namely, That the word is here to be taken for that mighty fish Leviathan; And that, either in respect of those who make it their businesse and goe out purposely to catch Leviathan, or of those who unawares are ready to be catcht by Leviathan: The former disappointed of their hopes, and the latter surprized with feares, making a curse their refuge, and easing themselves by execrations.

There is a fourth opinion which giveth the sense of these words quite another way, though it retains the same translation. For passing by the allusion to fishing or customs of fishermen, they make these words as a character or description of the extremest and vilest of wicked men; as if Job saying, Let them curse thee that curse the day, who are ready to stir up Leviathan, had said, let the worst or most wicked among the children of men curse this night; And we know, that the worst of men are most for cursing, they curse deepest; as the best of men are most for prayer, and they pray highest and holiest. So then, Jobs mind being to lay the sorest curse upon this night, thinks or finds his own spirit too straight, his own heart not large enough to do it; therefore he doth (as it were) call in aide from those Masters of cursing, Let the most expert, the most skilled in cursing, such as are versed in oaths and blasphemies, the very dregs and scum of men, let them pour out the dregs, the worst, the bitterest of their curses upon that night.

There is a fourth opinion which giveth the sense of these words quite another way, though it retaines the same translation. For passing by the allusion to fishing or customes of fishermen, they make these words as a character or description of the extreamest and vilest of wicked men; as if Job saying, Let them curse thee that curse the day, who are ready to stirre up Leviathan, had said, let the worst or most wicked among the children of men curse this night; And we know, that the worst of men are most for cursing, they curse deepest; as the best of men are most for prayer, and they pray highest and holiest. So then, Jobs mind being to lay the sorest curse upon this night, thinks or finds his own spirit too straight, his owne heart not large enough to doe it; therefore he doth (as it were) call in aide from those Masters of cursing, Let the most expert, the most skill'd in cursing, such as are verst in oathes and blasphemies, the very dregs and scum of men, let them powre out the dreggs, the worst, the bitterest of their curses upon that night.