The seventh Article of the Epistle concerning the observation
of Order and Decency, in the public meetings of the Church.
There are two parts of the chapter.
I. About the comely habit of men and women in religious performances, to verse
17.
The other part, concerning the right administration of the sacrament, to the
end.
Verse 1. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of
Christ.
Verse 2. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things, and
keep the ordinances as I delivered them unto you.
As concerning the first part, he premises a command to imitate him, so far as
he followed Christ: He also commends the Corinthians, that for some time they
observed the doctrine and precepts delivered to them, partly by letter, partly
by his lively voice, concerning religion, and things which appertain thereunto,
so far at least, that they deserved some commendation.
Verse 3. But I would have you know, That the head of every
man is Christ: and the head of the woman is the man, and the Head of Christ is
God.
Furthermore he subjoins to the following admonition a maxim concerning order
divinely established in the mystical body of the Church, viz., that Christ is
nearest subordinate to God, as he is God-man, the Mediator and the Head of the
Church, and that the man next succeeds in dignity unto Christ, and the woman to
the man, which so far as it appertains to the honour of the sex, she is made
subordinate to the man as head; whereupon they may understand that order in
church-assemblies is to be observed.
Verse 4. Every man praying, or prophecying, having his head
covered, dishonoureth his head.
It is apparent that the Corinthians did not sufficiently observe this order,
because their women in the public assemblies (after the manner of heathens)
laid aside their veils, and the men covered their heads and faces; (they are
said to pray and prophesy, who met publicly, and consented to promote this
public Worship of God.)
Argument 1. The covering of the man is not agreeable to the dignity of
his sex, and against the honour of Christ, whom he ought to represent:
Therefore it is uncomely.
Verse 5. But every woman that prayeth, or prophesieth with
her head uncovered, dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she
was shaven.
Verse 6. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a
shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
Argument 2. It is dishonourable to the female sex to lay aside her veil,
and against the dignity, as well of her natural head, as of her metaphorical
head, to wit, the man to whom she ows subjection for the honour of the
masculine sex; the reason whereof he gives, because it was not less unseemly
for the woman to be without her veil, than to be shorn: Here therefore the
woman is reproved for undecency, which she ought to amend.
Verse 7. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head,
forasmuch as he is the Image and Glory of God, but the woman is the glory of
man.
Argument 3. The man (seeing he is the Glory of God, and the
representation of his glorious Excellency in respect of the woman over whom he
is appointed head) ought to shew forth the Glory of God in his manly
deportment: Therefore he must beware of this unseemliness in the use of a veil.
Argument 4. The woman is the glory of the man, or the image of his
dignity, in whom (as in a Glass) the excellency of the man (for whose sake she
was created ) is seen, to whom she ought to profess subjection by the covering
of herself: Therefore seeing the woman behaves herself otherwise amongst you,
she is blamed for uncomeliness. This does not any whit hinder but the woman is
created, in respect of her soul and spiritual state, to the glory and Image of
God, as well as the man.
Verse 8. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of
the man.
Argument 5. The man is the material principle of the woman, because she
was made out of the ribs of man: Therefore it becomes the man and the woman to
testify the privilege of their original, in the observation of the aforesaid
decency: Therefore you are guilty of undecency which do otherwise.
Verse 9. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the
woman for the man.
Argument 6. Seeing the man hath the respect of the end, and the woman is
destined for the end; it is fitting that this difference of their excellency
should be expressed by the observance of decency: Therefore when it is not
observed, you are deservedly to be reproved.
Verse 10. For this cause ought the woman to have power on
her head, because of the Angels.
Argument 7. Even because of the Angels, who behold and are witnesses of
comely and uncomely deportments in the Church, although you would not regard
that men look upon you, yet it becomes women to testify the subjection of their
sex, and the power of the man, by putting a veil over their head as a sign of
it. Therefore you are guilty of indecency when your behaviour is otherwise.
Verse 11. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the
woman: neither the woman without the man in the Lord.
Verse 12. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman;
but all things of God.
That this comparing of the man and the woman, may not be drawn out further to
the desiring of the woman, in a threefold respect he equals the woman to the
man.
First, In respect to Christ our Lord, or in respect to our state of grace in
Christ: The man and the woman are equal, bought with the same price, and alike
ordained to their service of Christ.
Secondly, In respect to the same original; for as in the creation the woman is
of the man, so by ordinary propagation the man is by the woman.
Thirdly, In respect to the first and principal efficient cause, i.e., God; (who
hath made the man and the woman, and all things else) the man and the woman are
equal.
Verse 13. Judge in you selves, is it comely that a woman
pray unto God uncovered?
Verse 14. Doth not even nature it self teach you, that if a man have long hair,
it is a shame unto him?
Verse 15. But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is
given her for a covering.
Argument 8. Common sense, and nature it self, or natural inclination (so
he calls settled custom, and agreeable to nature, in respect to what is comely)
dictates that it is unseemly for a woman to pray uncovered, or that a man
should wear long hair, and the contrary is decent: Therefore you observe no
decorum when you behave yourselves otherwise. Hair is said to be given to the
woman for a covering, because it is given to that end, that she may know her
head ought to be covered.
Verse 16. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no
such custom, neither the Churches of God.
Argument 9. If any perhaps should not be moved by these arguments, but
should contend, the Apostle opposeth to their contentious apologies, the
received and established custom of the Jews, and the rest of the churches:
Other churches have no such custom, that women should be present at public
assemblies, with their heads uncovered, and the man with his head covered:
Therefore your custom not agreeing with decency, either according to natural
use, or of the churches, is altogether unseemly.
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