CHAPTER XI.

The Analysis and Sense.

IN this Chapter the Apostle first closing up that which he concluded the former withall, by commending his own example to their imitation, verse 1, and commending them that they did so far forth follow him, as to observe the precepts that he had formerly delivered unto them, verse 2, that he might thus the rather insinuate into them, and his reproofs following might be the better taken, he passeth on to treat about women’s being covered, and about a due order in coming to the holy communion, wherein it seemeth they had great need to be admonished.

So that of this Chapter there are three parts: first, an insinuation to draw their affections, the exhortation concluding the former Chapter being first premised, verses 1, 2.

Secondly, an instruction touching the covering of women, and the uncovering of men, being about the duties of religion in the assembly.  Wherein first is laid the ground, Christ is every man’s head, the man the woman’s, and God Christ’s, verse 3.  Secondly, it is inferred, that because dishonour should thus be done to Christ our head, we ought not to cover our heads, but women should cover, because otherwise man (the woman’s head) should be dishonoured, because for a woman to be uncovered in the view of others is a kind of immodesty, redounding to her husband’s disgrace, and for a man to be covered is a kind of being ashamed of his Christian profession, to the dishonour of Christ, whom he ought with all boldness and open face to confess, publish, and set forth, verses 4, 5, 6.

Thirdly, to prove that neither of them should dishonour their head, an argument is brought from this, that man is the glory of Christ, and the woman the glory of the man, and therefore man must be far from dishonouring Christ, and the woman her man, verse 7.

Fourthly, he proveth that man is the woman’s head, because she was made out of the man, and she should be covered because of the Angels: and yet that man might not insult over his woman, he sheweth that by ordinary generation man cometh of the woman, as at the first, extraordinarily woman was made out of the man, verses 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

Fifthly, and lastly, he putteth it to their own judgment, whether it be not a shame for a man to wear long hair, and contrariwise a glory to a woman; and if so, nature going herein before to teach each sex what is fit to be done, the man may learn hence that he should not be covered, and women that they should, verses 13, 14, 15, 16.

Thirdly, here is a reprehension for their disorder in coming to the holy communion, which is first related, and how he came to know of it, verse 18, 19, 20, 21. {226} Secondly, taxed, as a despising of the Lord’s Temple, and a shaming of the poor, verse 22.  Thirdly, the institution of this holy Supper is recorded, being far different from that use, that had crept in amongst them: for it was to feed the soul by commemorating the death and passion of Christ, and not the body to excess, verses 23, 24, 25, 26.  Fourthly, it is hence inferred, that to come to the holy communion in a carnal manner, not looking at this end of it, is damnable, wherefore he exhorteth to examination, verses 27, 28, 29.  Fifthly, he sheweth what things they had suffered because of this disorder, some were weak, and some dead, directing them to examine and judge themselves for such faults hereafter, that they might not be judged thus any more, but for the present he comforteth them, in that the Lord in judging his, doth but nurture them to reform them, that they may not perish as the wicked shall at the last day for ever, verses 30, 31, 32.

Sixthly, he concludeth all with an exhortation to tarry one for another, and not to abuse the house of God, to eat and drink therein for their bodily repast, but at their own houses, sequestering the house of God, for their spiritual repast only, verses 33, 34.  The sense of all see in the Texts here following.

NOT only men, but women also prophesied in those days, as the four daughters of Philip, who were Prophetesses, and some before and after them, of whom it was fore-told, your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. [Joel 2.28; Acts 2.17.]  The man in praying or prophesying is prescribed here to be uncovered on his head, but not at all times, the woman to be covered both then and at all times.  And why should it be thus?  Because there ought to be a distinction betwixt these two sexes, as in their apparel, so in other Symbols ordained as signs of either sex, of which sort this is one, for a man to have his head unveiled, and for a woman to have it veiled.  But what reason is there why it should be thus appointed?  First, because Christ is the head of every faithful man, in whose name, and in acknowledgement of whose headship he prayeth or prophesieth, but man is the head of the woman.  Secondly, because man is the glory and Image of God, so that as a Prince cometh not unto a King without his Princely ornaments (for otherwise he should dishonour the King,) so a man ought not to come unto God without the sign of that honour, which God hath conferred upon him, namely, a head uncovered.  And woman being the glory of the man, ought to have her head covered in token of subjection.  Thirdly, because the Angels are present to behold the faithful in their assemblies.  Fourthly, because it is a thing constituted in nature, and hence it becometh a shame to a man to nourish his hair, or to be covered, (which the Apostle here maketh all one,) and to a woman it is a shame to be uncovered, because it is a transgressing of the bounds set by God for every one to keep within: to keep within which it is an honour, to break out a shame.  But if to nourish the hair and to be covered, be all one, why doth he appoint women to be covered?  The hair is a natural covering shewing what the woman should be, a covering put upon it declareth her voluntary subjecting of herself, as she is by nature directed to do.  But why is it said, she ought to have power on her head because of the Angels? [Verse 10.]  A covering is an argument both of subjection and of power: of the one because it teacheth to look downward, as one that doth reverence; of the other, because by being covered a woman keepeth her virtue.  A covering then to a woman is a diadem set upon her head, and she that uncovereth herself is as one that casteth away a King’s Crown, and putteth on a slave’s cap.  The Angels are mentioned, because {227} if they contemn their husbands, yet they will reverence them, and bear this sign of reverence and subjection before them.  He speaketh of the creation of man and woman, not that the woman was made subject by creation; for no more was said then, but this is flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone, intimating a parity: but having abused her dignity, she heareth, thy desire shall be subject to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.  Woman is said to be of the man, to prove her to be his glory, forsomuch as that which is of anything is the glory of it.

Having ought upon his head: he saith not, his head being covered, because although he putteth on no covering, yet if he nourisheth his hair upon his head, he offendeth.  In saying, that a woman being uncovered, is as if she were shaven or shorn, it is implied, that not only at prayer-time, but always she ought to be covered, because there is no time, wherein it is not a shame for her to be shorn.  Man is said to be the image of God, because he is set over all earthly things, as God is over all, and the woman the image of the man, because she is only under her husband, but over all the rest of his family.  The man is the glory of God, because the most excellent of his creatures in this world, and by the like reason the woman is the glory of the man: Wherefore man having no superior upon earth, should come to God in prayer, with the signs of liberty; woman having a superior, with signs of subjection.  The woman ought to have power on her head, that is, a covering, in token that she is under the power of her husband.

A man ought not to have anything on his head, because there is nothing betwixt Christ and him, but a woman ought to have a covering, because she hath her husband next unto Christ above her.  The man is the image of God, because of one man all people are propagated, as all things are made of one God.  The woman ought to be covered because of the Angels, that is, the Ministers of God, lest being open faced they should be tempted by their beauty; or else the Angels are properly to be understood.  The man is not without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord, that is, one is not partaker of his grace without the other, but jointly together.

By prophesying here, I understand the declaring of the mysteries of salvation before the people, by praying, a[nd] going before the congregation in a conceived prayer at their meetings.  Now it is not to be thought, that any covering being upon the head, as a little cap for the necessity of warmth, is against this ordinance, but such as whereby the distinction set betwixt man and woman is taken away, and a confusion is brought in, for although there be something upon the head for necessity, yet it is uncovered in the sense here spoken of.  But why doth he speak of women prophesying, seeing it is not permitted to them to speak in the congregation?  1 Cor. 14.  It is spoken but by way of supposition, if she should prophesy, and it is spoken to good purpose to direct her when she cometh forth to any solemn meeting.  But how is this a reason of the man’s being uncovered and of the woman’s being covered, because he is the Image of God,[1] for the woman also was made after God’s image?  There is an Image in common to man and woman, that is, righteousness and holiness, and there is an image peculiar to the man, which is in authority over all the things of this world, and of this it is here spoken, not of the other.

There be more diversities of expositions yet upon this place, but I shall touch them, as I come to the doubts in order.  The first verse hath reference to the last of Chap. 10, and therefore might have well been affixed to it, according to Calvin: for having propounded his own example, it is a fit conclusion, be ye followers of me, as I follow Christ.  Touching his praising of them for keeping all his sayings, there are some that understand it ironically, as Ambrose and Anselm; but I prefer Chrysostom, who is also followed by Calvin, and most, that he speaketh thus of the state of the Church, wherein the {228} form and order by the Apostle established was still kept, but that there were some which transgressed, for this is also intimated where afterwards he saith, If any list to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor yet the Church of God.  In that he saith they held fast his traditions, the Church of Rome taketh occasion to insult, as though it were plain from hence, that besides the written word of God, there are unwritten traditions delivered by the Apostles, which ought alike to be observed: and this collection is made by Theophilact also.  And Stapleton bringeth in Basil speaking to the same effect, Lib. de S. S. c. 27, whereupon they refer all their superstitious observations and erroneous tenets to these kind of traditions, as the doctrine of seven Sacraments, the sacrifice of the mass, the communion under one kind, the sign of the cross, auricular confession, invocation of Saints, prayers, and offerings for the dead, &c.  Now we grant that there were some general traditions for order, which it is commendable to observe, as ..., ..., ... &c.[2] which are agreeable to the written word; but under this colour to bring in Dogmata fidei, which have no ground in, but are altogether against the word, is impious and detestable: for though Basil speaketh of the holy Trinity, the Creed of the Apostles, and the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father, as being received from tradition, yet he doth not mean, that these things, but the words came by tradition, seeing they are plainly grounded upon the written word.  The third verse is a preparative to the following doctrine.  Christ is the head of every man.  Being to speak of covering or not covering the head, he doth elegantly begin with Christ our head, we are from him and under him, he subordinate to the Father, the woman to man.

Question 1.

Margin — Some by prophesying here understand praising God in singing, as the word is used, 1 Chron. 25.1. 1 Sam. 10.10.

And so I come to the doubts of this Text.  First, what is meant by praying and prophesying here?  To this Bullinger and Piscator answer, that nothing else is meant, but being present at the public prayers, and preaching of the word: but because prophesying is no where used in this sense, and the speech is set forth singularly as of one in a congregation, and not as of the multitude (for he saith, a man praying or prophesying, and not men or women,) I cannot receive his exposition.  That of Chrysostom is best, understanding it of extraordinary gifts bestowed in those days both upon men and women, and so ordinary prophesying will come under this direction also, seeing there is the like reason of the one that there is of the other.

Question 2.

Margin — Popish Priests are hereby made like to Pagans: for the Priests of Serapis amongst the Athenians were shaven, Epiph. Heres. 64. And the Priests of Isis amongst the Egyptians.

Secondly, what is meant by having the head covered or uncovered?  Some understand by the cover the very hair of the head growing upon it, as the Popish side, whereupon the shaving of crowns is used.  Oecumenius understandeth long hair or any covering put on like the covering of a woman, which cometh so far down upon the face, as that it maketh one look downward.  That of the Papists is ridiculous and absurd, the other doth excellently agree, for to have long hair is womanish, and so an abusing of a man’s self and confounding of sexes, and to have the head covered down unto the face doth the like.  Chrysostom sheweth, that it was the manner of the heathen Grecians to come to prayer covered thus, and Beza allegeth Plutarch speaking of the Romans, that they worshipped their gods being covered, and bowing their heads.  Wherefore it was necessary for the Apostle to admonish them hereof, there being some doubtless, who notwithstanding the order before settled at Corinth, did cleave to this their superstitious manner still, and women, which for the ostentation of their beauty came uncovered to the congregation.  Here is no ground then for being bareheaded in the congregation, as some imagine, nor yet for the Preachers being bareheaded, but that he may wear a little cap to defend him from the cold, as Calvin alloweth, or an hat, where the order of the Church is such in token of authority, as Beza contendeth, {229} and is the manner of the French Church, because howsoever it was then, now it is a sign of authority amongst men to be covered, and of subjection to be uncovered.  The only thing to be gathered hence is, that all should be held with such reverence of the public place, as that they should do nothing unseemly there, of what sex or condition soever they be.  This care is to be had always, but specially in the congregation, women ought to be most modest and sober in their attire, habiting themselves as becometh their sex, and not seeking to draw men’s eyes unto them, and men should shun the putting on such apparel, curling of their hair, hats and feathers, whereby they may seem rather to go to a stage-play to be enamored mutually one upon another, than to come to worship God, as Bullinger speaketh.  Thomas Aquinas troubleth himself about answering this, how preachers are allowed now to preach covered, and how prophesying can agree to women: He saith, that whilst a man is preaching, he speaketh of his own, but when he readeth he uttereth the prophecies of God; and that women read in their houses amongst themselves publicly;—how fitly this is spoken, let the reader judge.

Question 3.

Why is it a shame for a man to be covered and for a woman to be uncovered?  This hath been already sufficiently answered by Chrysostom and Oecumenius, because as of other members of the body, there is a comeliness and a uncomeliness, so there is of the head, a man’s head in nature is most comely, when he goeth with open face maintaining the difference and liberty of his sex, by keeping off all tokens of subjection, as long hair and veils, but the woman’s head is most comely, when she hath long hair and is veiled, these being tokens of her subordinary, and every thing being most decent in the proper place.  How it is a sign hereof hath been already shewed.

Question 4.

Doth this order hold only in the congregation, whilst the man or woman is performing this public office?  Chrysostom answereth well, that the woman is bound hereby at all times, and therefore the Apostle insisteth upon that which concerneth her, making it all one to be uncovered and to be shorn: so that if she shall disgrace herself, by being shorn at any time, so she shall be by going uncovered.  Which, as I take it, is to be understood of any time of her coming abroad.  But this kind of covering is not used in these cold countries, but instead thereof hats, or other dresses, a difference being yet still retained, in that the woman’s cover upon her head is fixed, but the man moveth his in salutation and for reverence at any time; if any women do otherwise, they are Monsters amongst women.  As for men, their being covered is not so generally impugned, but in executing this public office, wherein they sit, as it were together with God, as when the nobles come forth with the King in solemn manner, at what time every one is in his robes beseeming his degree: for such is a man’s being without a cover, that might hide any part of his face.  But this, as hath been already touched out of Beza, holdeth not but in such countries, where to sit with the hat off, argueth authority; and to be covered, subjection; In these parts it is contrariwise, and therefore our preaching uncovered doth not seem to be grounded upon this, but rather to have been taken up in reverence to God: forsomuch as we do not prophesy as they, by inspiration, but by study, and the divine assistance seconding our studies.  And upon the like reason men are appointed to hear the word of God read being uncovered, and to follow the same order at the preaching of the word is most commendable in all, that are not constrained by their bodily infirmity to cover.  Only, I say, it is altogether from the purpose of this place, to teach a necessity of so doing.

Question 5.

Margin — Verse 7. Augustine lib. de Trinit. 12.

Is not the woman the Image of God as well as the man, and how then is this a reason for the man’s being uncovered more than for the woman?  To this Calvin hath answered well, and Augustine also answereth to the same effect.  Others, as I have shewed, make this Image to be in unity, but I prefer {230} the former, because even still man being multiplied into so many, yet he is the Image of God.

Question 6.

Margin — Verse 10.

What is meant by the woman’s having power on her head, And because of the Angels?  To this most Expositors consentingly answer, that by power is to be understood a cover in token of her husband’s power over her, and that she might be moved the rather, he maketh mention of the Angels, before whom, and not before men only, a shameful thing is done, if she be uncovered.

Question 7.

Margin — Verse 15.

If a woman hath her hair given her for a covering, is it not sufficient to be covered with her hair only?  There is little difference from that of Chrysostom in any man’s answer to this: her hair is a natural covering, upon which she must put on another, that she may express that by a voluntary action, which by an affix of nature she is directed unto.  Such women therefore, as slight this whole tract, so far as they think to evade all by this one passage, coming forth in their hair without any other covering, are to be admonished of more modesty, and to submit to better judgments, all Expositors of note being against them, and none for them in their thus doing.  As for Virgins, which yet have no husbands, if it be demanded, whether they come under the same Law, seeing all which is said here, seemeth to be peculiar to the married, who are in subjection to their husbands? Calvin hath well resolved it, that by the woman here all woman-kind, that sex, is to be understood, and therefore all must be covered, though with distinction of more or less, according to their divers conditions.

Margin — Note.

Note, that the manner of women’s going for their dress is not a thing to be slighted: to go either covered or uncovered, so as that pride & vanity or modesty is expressed by the outward habit, is not all one before God: but they are utterly disliked by him that go uncovered or otherwise offend in this kind; but they are regular and well-pleasing, that shew all sobriety and modesty this way.  It is true indeed, that an immodest soul may lurk under the covert of a modest dress, but she is always certainly an immodest woman, and the shame of her husband, that goeth out in an immodest manner.  Would the Apostle have argued so much against a woman’s going uncovered, if it had not been of great consequence to go thus, or not to go thus?  And would the Apostle Peter have urged women to shew modesty in their dress by the example of Sarah, telling them, that thus only they may become her daughters and heirs with her of eternal glory, if the Lord did not give great regard to these things?  Let every woman then that casteth not off the fear of God, not cast off these instructions, but be directed in her habit and manner of going hereby.

Margin — Note.

Note also touching men, that it is most natural and so most commendable to keep the hair cut, and not to nourish it to such a length, as the swaggerers of these times do, as if they would herein turn women, and prefer the inferior before the superior sex, thus shewing themselves unworthy the sex that God hath made them of.  For to go against that, which is by a principle in nature, is to seek to put out that little light of grace, that remaineth in our nature so much corrupted, and so to be endangered of becoming altogether graceless, as woeful experience teacheth, that it is brought about in most of the shack-haired ruffians of this dissolute age, being also common swearers and drinkers, if not whore-masters also, and profane every way like Esau.

Footnotes:

1. This text has been revised in light of an apparent transposition requiring correction: “how is this a reason of the man’s being covered and of the woman’s being uncovered,” etc.—JTK.

2. Here, Mayer cites as examples some of the festival days, officers of church government, and other customs practiced in the Church of England at this time, 1631.  In the following decade, such festival days (including Easter,) etc., were removed from the practice of the Church of England, in order to bring the church’s practice into better conformity with the Scripture pattern and example of other Reformed Churches.—JTK.