Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Ver. 38. Now the just shall live by faith] In the want of feeling; he shall rest upon God in the fail of outward comforts, as the believing Jews were to do in the Babylonish captivity, Habakkuk 2:4, quoted here by the apostle, though with some variation of words.
But if any man draw back] Gr. υτοστειληται. Steal from his colours, run from his captain, revolt from Christ, turn renegade, relinquishing his religion, as did Julian, Lucian, and other odious apostates.
My soul shall have no pleasure] Christ hath no delights in dastards, turn-coats, run-a-ways, he will not employ them so far as to break a pitcher, or bear a torch, Judges 7:7. Baldwin the French lawyer, that had religionem ephemeram, as Beza said of him, for every day a new religion, being constant to none, became Deo hominibusque quos toties fefellerat invisus, hated of God and men, whom he had so oft mocked. Theodoric, an Arian king, did exceedingly affect a certain deacon, although an orthodox. This deacon thinking to ingratiate, and get preferment, became an Arian. Which when the king understood, he changed his love into hatred, and caused the head to be struck from him, affirming that if he kept not his faith to God, what duty could any one expect from him? (Melch. Adam.)