Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 64:6

6 But we are all as an unclean thing , and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs , and we all do fade as a leaf , and our iniquities, as the wind, have taken us away .

he alludes, either to things unclean under the Ceremonial [illegible: 1+ letters]aw, wherein the Leprosy was found, and was to be burnt, Lev. 13. 55. or rather to Persons unclean. They compare their present state with the former. q. d. Formerly there were some that [illegible: 1+ letters]eared thee, and walked uprightly before thee, and were in thy s[illegible: 1+ letters]vour; but now we are all as one polluted mass, nothing of good le[illegible: 1+ letters]t in us by reason of an universal d[illegible: 1+ letters]generacy, Isa 1. 4. 6.

This according to the most Commentators, refers either to the observances of the [illegible: 1+ letters]ites, and Ceremonies of the Law, wherein they thought their Righteousnesses did much consist; or to the best work, and actions that can be performed by us; or to our natural, universal d[illegible: 1+ letters]pravities: but the best Interpre[illegible: 1+ letters]ers▪ and such as aim at the peculiar sense of the place, refer it to the gross provocations that this people were guilty of, causing God to cast them out of their habitations, or else, to their Persons. i. e. the most righteous among us, and being plural, it raiseth it up to the highest degree, the Scripture frequently putting the Abstract for the Concrete as wisdoms for the greatest wisdom, Prov. 9. 1. and many the like instances formerly given, so that the meaning is, the very best of us all are no better, then the uncleanest things or Persons, see Mich. 7. 2, 3, 4. and the rather because he lived about the time of Isaiah,

A cloath made up of [illegible: 1 word], or such as come from a putrid so[illegible: 1+ letters]e. or are defiled with the m[illegible: 1+ letters]nstruous blood of a woman, the LXX. as a rag of one that sits down, possibly alluding to Rachel. Gen. 31. 34▪ 35. or what ever may be most filthy.

Blown off the tree, and so withers▪

Carried [illegible: 1+ letters]s awa[illegible: 1+ letters] to Ba[illegible: 1+ letters]ylon from our habitations as leaves hurried away by a boisterous wind; our iniquities have been the pro[illegible: 1+ letters]uring cause.

Marginal references: P[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1+ letters].