John Trapp on Job 38:1

CHAP. XXXVIII. Verſe 1. Then the Lord anſwered Job.]

GOD himſelf taking the word out of Elihu's mouth, (who had ſpoken well, but wanted Majeſty to ſet it forth) became his owne Patron, et hujus diſputationis ſequeſter, and Decider of this long Controverſie, vindicating his own Authority, and teaching that truth in the four following Chapters, which Saint Paul briefly comprizeth in theſe words, Rom. 11.33, 34. O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdome and knowledge of God! How unſearchable are his judgements, and his wayes paſt finding out! For who hath knowne the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counſellor? Why then ſhould any one require an account of his proceedings, or queſtion his Juſtice? Job had often deſired that God would take knowledg of his Cauſe. His friends alſo had deſired the ſame, chap. 11.5. Here therefore He appeareth in perſon, not as out of an Engine deviſed for that purpoſe, after the manner of ſome partial Tragedy, for the whole narration teſtifieth, that this is a true ſtory of things done indeed,Beza. and afterwards faithfully recorded. Which hiſtory is highly to be eſteemed as an incomparable Treaſure, if it were for nothing elſe, yet for the right knowledge of natural Phyſophy here laid open, in theſe four following Chapters, together with the chief and principal end thereof, which is, that in theſe viſible creatures, we may behold the inviſible things of God.

Out of the whirle-wind] That is, Out of a cloud whence iſſued a whirle-wind or a ſtorm, as a teſtimony of his heavenly Majeſty, and to procure attention. See the like Deuter. 4.12. 1 King, 19.11. &c. Ezek 1.4. &c. Nah. 1.3. Heb. 12.18. God loves to be acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience, yet he takes ſtate upon him in his Ordinances, and will be trembled at in his word and judgments.

And ſaid] With much more mildneſs and moderation then Elihu or any of them had uſed in reprehending Job, and yet with ſuch plenty and efficacy of words and arguments, Ʋt facillimè omnes omnium orationes ſuperet, That no ſuch Oration can any where elſe be read. Well might Lavater ſay, Hoc poſtramum colloquium eſt admodum ſuave & utile, this conference of God with Job, is very ſweet and profitable; for it teacheth us, among other things, how gently God dealeth with his offending ſervants, and how hardly the beſt are brought to confeſſe their ſins, and truly to repent of them.