An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 2 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
THE SEVENTH ARTICLE CONCERNING ORDER AND DECENCY.
THe seventh Article of the Epistle concerning the observation of Order and Decency, in the publike meetings of the Church.
There are two parts of the Chapter. 1. About the comely habit of men and women in religious performances, to vers. 17. The other part, concerning the right Administration of the Sacrament, to the end.
Vers. 21. Bee yee followers of mee▪ even as I also am of Christ.
2. Now I praise you, Brethren, that you remember mee in all things, and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them unto you.
As concerning the first part, hee premises a command to imitate him, so far as hee followed Christ: Hee 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.
Vers. 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 hee sub-joyns to the following▪ admonition a maxim concerning order divinely stablished in the mystical body of the Church, viz. that Christ is nearest subordinate to God, as hee 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, shee is made subordinate to the man as Head; whereupon they may understand that order in Church-Assemblies is to bee observed.
Vers. 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 publike Assemblies (after the manner of Heathens) laid aside their veils, and the men covered their heads and faces; (they are said to pray and Prophesie, who met publikely, and consented to promote this publike Worship of God.) This uncomeliness hee reproves both in the men and women, by nine Arguments.
Dishonours] Argum. 1. The covering of the man is not agreeable to the dignity of his sex, and against the honour of Christ, whom hee ought to represent: Therefore it is uncomely.
Vers. 5. But every woman that prayeth, or Prophesieth with her head uncovered, dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if shee was shaven.
6. For if the woman bee not covered, let her also bee shorn: but if it bee a shame for a woman to bee shorn or shaven, let her bee covered.
Argum. 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 shee ows subjection for the honour of the Masculine Sex; the reason whereof hee gives, because it was not less unseemly for the woman to bee without her veil, than to bee shorn: Here therefore the woman is reproved for undecency, which shee ought to amend.
Vers. 7. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as hee is the Image and Glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
Argum. 3. The man (seeing hee is the Glory of God, and the representation of his glorious Excellency in respect of the woman over whom hee is appointed head) ought to shew forth the Glory of God in his manly deportment: Therefore hee must beware of this unseemliness in the use of a veil.
The woman.] Argum. 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 shee was created) is seen, to whom shee ought to profess subjection by the covering of herself: Therefore seeing the woman behaves herself otherwise amongst you, shee 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.
Vers. 8. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man.
Argum. 5. The man is the material principle of the woman, because shee was made out of the ribs of man: Therefore it becomes the man and the woman to testifie the priviledge of their original, in the observation of the aforesaid decency: Therefore you are guilty of undecency which do otherwise.
Vers. 9. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man.
Argum. 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 bee expressed by the observance of decency: Therefore when it is not observed, you are deservedly to bee reproved.
Vers. 10. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head▪ because of the Angels.
Argum. 7. Even because of the Angels, who behold and are witnesses of comely and uncomely deportment… in the Church▪ although you would not regard that me… look upon you, yet it … Women to te…ifie the subjection of their Sex, … power of the M…n, by putting a veil over their … a sign of it? Therefore you are guilty of indecency … your behaviour … otherwise.
Vers. 11. … neither is the … without the Woman: … Woman without … Man in the Lord.
12. For as the Woman … of the Man, even … is the Man also by the Woman; but all things of God.
That this comparing of the Man and the Woman, may not bee drawn out further to the despising of the Woman, in a threefold respect hee 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 the 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.
Vers. 13. Iudge in your selves, is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14. Doth not even nature it self teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15. But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given her for a covering.
Argum. 8. Common sense, and nature it self, or natural inclination (so hee calls setled custome, 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 your selves otherwise. Hair is said to bee given to the woman for a covering, because it is given to that end, that shee may know her head ought to bee covered.
Vers. 16. But if any man seem to bee con…entious, wee have no such custome, neither the Churches of God.
Argum. 9. If any perhaps should not bee moved by these Arguments, but should contend, the Apostle opposeth to their contentious Apologies, the received and established custome of the Jews, and the rest of the Churches: Other Churches have no such custome, that women should bee present at publick assemblies, with their heads uncovered, and the man with his head covered: Therefore your custome not agreeing with decency, either according to natural use, or of the Churches, is altogether unseemly.
The second Part.
Vers. 17. Now in this that I declare unto you, I praise you not, that you come together, not for the better, but for the worse.
The second part of the Chapter follows: concerning the right administration of the Lords Supper, in which hee doth not commend, but discommend the Corinthians; First, In general, that their comming together was not for the better, but for the worse.
Vers. 18. For first of all, when you come together in the Church, I hear, that there bee divisions among you, and I partly beleeve it.
Secondly, More specially, that they came together to …oment Schisms, as hee heard, and did in part beleeve.
Vers. 19. For there must bee also Heresies among you, that they which are approved may bee made manifest unto you.
Hee gives a Reason, why hee beleeved Schisms to bee amongst them, viz. Because by the malice of the Devil and men, out of the just judgement of God, not onelyonly Schisms in their affections arose, but also Heresies or Sects, which must bee, and to that end are they permitted of God, that approved and sincere Christians, (maintaining that which is right in the contending for parties) may bee manifestly known; and to the greater glory of God, and the conservation of true Religion, in purity, they might appear sincere to the whole world.
Vers. 20. When yee come together therefore in one place, this is not to eat the Lords Supper.
Thirdly, Hee most specially dispraises their prophaning the Holy Supper, as if it had not been the Lords Supper: for when they met together in one place, they behaved themselves in the assembly of the Saints so irreligiously, as if they had not celebrated a Religious Supper.
Vers. 21. For in eating every one taketh before other his own Supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
This hee demonstrates in four notable faults amongst them, in the celebration of the Lords Supper; The first is, That every one of them with his faction (excluding the other members of the Church) did take the holy Supper Schismatically. Secondly, They mixed with the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, their own Supper, or their common Feasts, which were called Love-Feasts. Thirdly, The poorer sort were excluded, whilst the rich feasted. Fourthly, In their feastings they drank to drunkenness.
Vers. 22. What, have yee not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise yee the Church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
Therefore hee reproves that fashion among them, of celebrating their Love-Feasts publickly in the Church, as unbecomming the publick Assembly, thinking fitter to send them back to their private houses; adding a reproof, that they had a low esteem of that grave Assembly of the Saints, and exposed those to contempt that were given to riotousness, when they ought to have attended onelyonly to Religion; As also, Because in those their feastings, the poorer sort (which could not bee at that cost) were shamed.
Vers. 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Iesus, the same night in which hee was betrayed, took bread,
24. And when hee had given thanks, hee brake it, and said, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of mee.
That hee may correct these errours; First hee sets down the institution of the Sacrament, to vers. 27. and then hee exhorts them to, and teaches them the lawful use of this Sacrament, to the end. As for the institution of the Supper, hee shews that the Lord Jesus being about to suffer, by way of Testament, set his seal to the Covenant of Grace, which by his mediation hee entred into between God and the Church: Whereby the glorious memory of his death might bee celebrated in the world, till his second comming, and might bee delivered to the faithful, and being delivered, it might judicially confirm a right to his person, and the benefits of his sufferings, and a living virtue flowing from his death, resurrection, and exaltation, to the sanctification and salvation of Beleevers, and that by the symbols of this holy Banquet, and holy Communion with God, and amongst themselves. To which end Christ sitting at Table with his Disciples, after the eating of the Paschal Lamb; First, Took Bread, and sanctified it by giving of thanks, brake, and gave it to his Disciples, commanding them to take and eat; further, hee declared the Bread received and eaten, to bee his body represented after a Sacramental manner, that i… being given for our Redemption, and after a judicial manner, applied to us; and last…y, hee commanded that his Disciples, or all the faithful should imitate this his action in the Church, in remembrance of him, who had paid the price of Redemption by the sufferings of his body.
Vers. 25. After the same manner also hee took the Cup, when hee had supped, saying, This Cup is the New Testament in my blood: this do you, as oft as yee drink it, in remembrance of mee.
That which concerns the other part of the Supper follows: In the same Supper, (viz. after the Paschal Supper) when the Bread was distributed, Christ took the Cup with Wine, sanctified by the giving of thanks, gave it to the Disciples to drink; further concerning the Cup hee declared, That it being taken and drunk, was that new Covenant of Grace, between God and the Church, established Sacramentally by his blood, i. e. As it is ratified on Gods part that gives, so it is confirmed on the beleevers part that receives, and judicially applied and sealed: Lastly, Hee commanded that his Disciples should frequently imitate him in this action, in remembrance of him, who had paid the price of Redemption for the Church by the shedding of his blood.
Vers. 26. For as often as yee eat this Bread, and drink this Cap, yee do shew the Lords death till hee come.
And that wee might acknowledge, that of two Elements, Bread and Wine, one Supper (frequently to bee celebrated in the Church) ought to bee made; the Apostle would have perpetuated in the Church, a publick commemoration of our Lords death, by the often reiteration of this Sacrament, and that because Christ would not bee present in his body with the Church, before the last judgement, by this Sacrament hee would that the memorial of the Churches redemption, by his death, might bee preserved and celebrated, until hee come out of Heaven in the last day.
Vers. 27. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily, shall bee guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
After the Apostle had repeated the institution of this Sacrament, hee exhorts and instructs the Corinthians in the right use of it, and that in six waies: First, Shewing the danger of guilt which they are liable to who prophane this Sacrament; For whosoever without preparation and reverence, otherwise than becomes such an Ordinance, approaches so great mysteries, abuses the Sacrament, despiseth Christ, and comes near to the wickedness of those that crucified Christ.
Vers. 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup.
Secondly, Shewing the easiness of preparation, that every one may worthily receive this Sacrament; OnelyOnly (saith hee) set every man examine himself, that being sensible of the greatness of his sin and misery, hee may see how much need hee hath of a remedy by Christ, and let him consider with what Faith and purposes of holiness hee is bound to approach communion with Christ, who is a thousand times lost without him; and when hee hath examined himself, so let him eat and drink in that holy Banquet, i. e. so let him apply the thing signified, with his participation of the sign, that hee consider what need hee hath of it.
Vers. 29. For hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lords body.
Thirdly ▪ Having shewed the punishment of eating unworthily: That hee brings judgement, or temporal and eternal punishment, unless hee repent, upon himself by unworthy eating and drinking, who participates of the outward Sacrament without examination of himself, because hee discerns not this Feast, or the thing signified, from his own common Supper, but comes to the Lords Table no otherwise than to some common one.
Vers. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Fourthly, Shewing before their eyes the examples of Gods temporal anger, in diseases and death it self inflicted already upon many of the Corinthians, for their prophanation of the Sacrament.
Vers. 31. For if wee would judge our selves, wee should not bee judged.
Hee clears from severity this infliction of temporal judgement. First, From the equity of it, That God justly punishes those that judge not themselves, or repent not, but lye securely in their sin, which hee would not do if they repenting would judge themselves.
Vers. 32. For when wee are judged, wee are chastened of the Lord, that wee should not bee condemned with the world.
Further, That the inflicting of these punishments, is a fatherly chastisement, whereby the faithful may bee brought to repentance, and not perish with the world.
Vers. 33. Wherefore, my Brethren, when yee come together to eat, tarry one for another.
Fifthly, The Apostle directs the Corinthians to a right use of the Supper, giving a Precept to avoid Schism, that they would tarry one for another, and would partake of the holy Supper together; and every man take not his supper asunder, because the Supper of the Lord is a common action of the Church, in the publick Assembly, to bee celebrated after the manner of a Feast.
Vers. 34. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home, that yee come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
Sixthly, By forbidding their manner of feasting in publick, by their feasts of charity before the holy Communion, and commanding, that if need were, they would eat at home to satisfie their hunger, repeating the danger of prophaning the Supper, and of the following judgement. At last, because it was impossible, that all things which appertain to a particular Church, should bee ordered, unless hee was present; Hee promises to take care of the rest, touching the observing of order, especially in that Church, when hee should come himself.