Except ye believe it.] The particle Ci is put in the middest of the sentence, as yielding the reason of it. And therefore some translate thus; If you believe not: that is to say, because you are not believers. And so restrain the first member to the prophecy of Isaiah: but the second, to the whole word of God, as if he should say, If you give no credit to my words, then your infidelity shall be known to all. But thus there should be no difference between the verb Thaaminu, and the other verb Theamenu, which are of divers conjugations. But the Prophet hath not changed the termination without cause: and it appears by many testimonies of the holy Scriptures, that the verb Amen, in the conjugation of Niphal, is taken for to stand, or continue fast in his degree. I think then that this is as much as if he had said, Behold your only stay; wait quietly without being vexed in your selves for that which the Lord hath promised, to wit, deliverance: if you wait not for it, what remains, but that you perish? The particle Ci signifies as much (it being also usually so taken in many other places) as surely. He affirms then that they cannot stand, unless they believe this promise: yea, his words sound somewhat more bitingly; namely, that although they refused to give credit unto it, and should endeavour to the uttermost to overthrow the steadfastness thereof; yet would God for his part continue still to be firm and sure: as also, that themselves could not stand, unless they rested upon the promise here offered them. Whence we have to gather a general doctrine: to wit, that our destruction then approacheth, when we shall depart from the word of God; howsoever we imagine our selves to be well and sufficiently grounded. For our salvation is enclosed in the word of God: and when that is rejected, God justly avengeth the wrong that is done to him therein: for he was near to have sustained men by his power, if they had not voluntarily plunged themselves headlong into destruction: we must rest confidently then upon the promises of God, or else it is in vain to look for salvation.
Except yee beleeue it.] The particle Ci is put in the middest of the sentence, as yeelding the reason of it. And therefore some translate thus; If you beleeue not: that is to say, because you are not beleeuers. And so restraine the first member to the prophesie of Isaiah: but the second, to the whole word of God, as if he should say, If you giue no credit to my words, then your infidelitie shall bee knowne to all. But thus there should be no difference betweene the verbe Thaaminu, and the other verbe Theamenu, which are of diuers coniugations. But the Prophet hath not changed the termination without cause: and it appeares by many testimonies of the holy Scriptures, that the verbe Am•n, in the coniugation of Niphal, is taken for to stand, or continue fast in his degree. I thinke then that this is as much as if he had said, Beholde your onely stay; waite quietly without being vexed in your selues for that which the Lord hath promised, to wit, deliuerance: if you waite not for it, what remaines, but that you perish? The particle Ci signifies as much (it being also vsually so taken in many other places) as surely. He affirmes then that they cannot stand, vnlesse they beleeue this promise: yea, his words sound somewhat more bitingly; namely, that although they refused to giue credit vnto it, and should endeuour to the vttermost to ouerthrow the stedfastnesse thereof; yet would God for his part continue still to bee firme and sure: as also, that themselues could not stand, vnlesse they rested vpon the promise here offered them. Whence we haue to gather a generall doctrine: to wit, that our destruction then approcheth, when we shall depart frō the word of God; howsoeuer we imagine our selues to be well and sufficiētly grounded. For our saluation is inclosed in the word of God: and when that is reiected, God iustly auengeth the wrong that is done to him therein: for hee was neere to haue sustained men by his power, if they had not voluntarily plunged themselues headlong into destruction: we must rest confidently then vpon the promises of God, or else it is in vaine to looke for saluation.
