Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

We see here that none are excepted, seeing the Prophet comprehends all: ¹for all mankind had been utterly lost, if Christ had not wrought our salvation. No, he excepts not the Jews, who yet were puffed up with a false opinion of their dignity; but he even wraps them up in the same condemnation. Now he compares them to sheep, not to lessen their fault, as if themselves for their parts were harmless: but the more plainly to show that the proper office of Christ, consists in gathering from among the dispersed, those who resembled brute beasts.

We see heere that none are excepted, seeing the Prophet comprehends all: ¹for all mankind had been vtterly lost, if Christ had not wrought our saluation. No, he excepts not the Iewes, who yet were puffed vp with a false opinion of their dignitie; but hee euen wraps them vp in the same condemnation. Now he compares them to sheepe, not to lessen their fault, as if themselues for their parts were harmlesse: but the more plainly to shew that the proper office of Christ, consists in gathering from among the dispersed, those vvho resembled brute beasts.

1. 1None excepted out of this lost condition.

In adding afterwards every one: he descends ⟨p. 555⟩from the general in which he comprehended all, ¹to the particular: to teach every one apart, whether it be not so indeed: for a sentence generally propounded, moves us not so much, as when every man considers that it belongs to him in special. Let every one then awaken up his own conscience, and let him present himself before the judgement seat of God, confessing his misery.