Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 2 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Verſe 1. Be ye followers of me]
THis verſe properly belongs to the former Chapter. The diſtinguiſhing of the books of Scripture into Chapters is not very ancient. But that of verſes was deviſed and done by Robert Stephens, Pio quidem at tumultuario ſtudio (as one ſaith well) with a good intent,Soult…t. but with no great skill, as appears here and in divers other places. The Apoſtle chap. 10.33. had ſhewed his own practice: here he cals upon them to do accordingly. As the Oxe follows the herd,Sicut bos armenta, ſic ego bonos viros, &c. Cic, ad Attic. ſo will I follow good men, Etiamſi ruant, ſaith Cicero, although they do amiſſe. This was more then St Paul deſires: Be ye followers of me, ſaith he: but only ſo far as I am of Christ, not an inch further.
Verſe 2. And keep the ordinances] Gr. the traditions or doctrines by word of mouth. Theſe are 1. Dogmaticall, concerning faith and practice, 2 Theſſ. 2.15. 2. Rituall, Selater, in loe.and theſe again are 1. Perpetuall, as that of the manner of adminiſtring the two Sacraments. 2. Temporary, as that of abſtaining from certain meats, Act. 15.28, 29. And thoſe other pertaining to the obſerving of externall order and decency in Church-aſſemblies. And of theſe the Apoſtle here ſpeaketh.
Verſe 3. The head of the woman is man] Were it not an ill ſight to ſee the ſhoulders above the head, the woman uſurp authority over the man? A prudent wife commands her husband by obeying,foreign. 1 Tim. 1.1…. as did Livia.
Verſe 4. Diſhonoureth his head] As they accounted it then and there. In other places it is otherwiſe. The French preach covered.B…unts voiage, p. 88. The Turks neither kneel nor uncover the head at publike praiers, as holding thoſe poſtures unmanly. Severall countreys have their ſeverall cuſtoms. Baſiliades Duke of Muſcovia ſhewed himſelf a tyrant in nailing an Embaſſadours hat to his head, for not uncovering it before him.
Verſe 5. Praying or prophecying] That is, joyning with the man that praieth or prophecieth, and going along with, him in her heart. Thus the King and all Iſrael with him offered Sacrifice before the Lord, 1 Kin. 8, 62. And thus the unlearned ſey, Amen, 1 Cor. 14.16. See the Note on Rom. 16.1.
Verſe 6. For a woman to be ſhore] Our Hic-muliers hold it now no ſhame. If Henry the ſixth had ſeen ſuch creatures, he would have cried out, as once he did at the ſight of naked breſts,Daniels hiſt. p. 198. Fie, fie, Ladies, inſooth you are too blame, &c.
Verſe 7. He is the image and glory of God,] Even as an image in the glaſſe doth look toward us, from whom it is reflected: So (ſaith one) doth Gods image in us make the eyes of our minds view him the authour of it in us.Bayns letters. And as the eye becometh one with that which it ſeeth, and is after a ſort in that light it beholdeth: ſo are we by the viſion of God, which is begun in us, one with him and in him.
The woman is the glory of the man] Either becauſe he may glory in her, if ſhe be good: or becauſe ſhe is to honour him, and give glory to him.
Verſe 8. But the woman of the man] Of a bone ſhe was made, and but one bone, N… eſſet oſſea, ſaith a Divine: A bone of the ſide it was,Vitia Palatina. not of the head (ſhe is not to be his miſtreſſe) nor of the foot (ſhe is not to be his handmaid) but of the ſide, to ſhew that ſhe is a companion to her husband. A bone from under the arm, to minde the man of protection and defence to the woman. A bone not farre from his heart, to minde him of dilection and love to the woman. A bone from the left ſide, to put the woman in minde, that by reaſon of her frailty and infirmity, ſhe ſtands in need of both the one and the other from her husband.
Verſe 9. For the woman] ſc. To ſerve her: unleſſe it be ſome women,As Artemiſia, Zenobla, blandena. Anna Ateſtina Guiſiorum & Memorouſ. parens. Thuan. bi…t l. 124. Numb. 5.18. ſpecially called to, and qualified for government. Amongſt whom Queen Elizabeth that female-glory is famous: Of whom a great French Dutcheſſe ſaid, That ſhe was, Glorioſiſſima, & omnium quae unquam ſceptrum geſſerunt foeliciſſima faemina, Beſides her Sex, there was nothing in her woman-like or weak.
Verſe 10. To have power] That is, a veil, called in Hebrew Radid, of Radad to beat rule. And indeed what was this ſubjection to the husband, but a kinde of power and protection derived to the wife, in reſpect of her fromer eſtate?
Becauſe of the Angels] Preſent in the Aſſemblies of the Saints. This was ſet forth of old by the hangings of the Tabernacle wrought with Cherubims within and without. Others underſtand this Text of Miniſters, frequently called Angels, Hag. 1.12, 13. Revel. 2. and 3. Judg. 2.1. (that Angel is thought to be Phintas) Eccleſ. 5.6. Neither ſay thou before the Angel (i. e. before the Lords Prieſt) it was an errour.
Verſe 11. Nevertheleſſe neither is] This is added for the womans comfort. There muſt be all mutuall reſpects and melting-heartedneſſe betwixt married couples, which being preſerved freſh and fruitfull, will …fi…tely ſweeten and beautifie the marriage-eſtate. Love is a quom that muſt be exchanged betwixt them, and returned in kinde. Husbands love your wives, Coloſ. 3.16. He ſaith not, Rule over your wives, as he had ſaid, Wives ſubmit your ſelves to your husbands, but Love your wives; yea, let all your things be done in love: for neither is the man without the woman; he is not compleat without her, he wants a piece of himſelf: neither is the woman without the man, ſhe cannot ſubſiſt without him, as the Vine cannot without a ſupporter. The rib can challenge no more of her, then the earth can of him, &c.
Verſe 12. But all things of God] God conſulted not with man to make him happy (ſaith one.) As he was ignorant while himſelf was made, ſo did he not know while a ſecond ſelf was made out of him: Both, that the comfort might be the greater then was expected; as alſo, that he might not upbraid his wife with any great dependance or obligation, he neither willing the work, nor ſuffering any pain to have it done.
Verſe 13. Judge in your ſelves] All Chriſts ſheep are rationall, able to diſcern of things that differ, having their ſenſes thereunto exerciſed, Heb. 5.14. But ſome ſins are condemned by common ſenſe, as here: and religion is founded upon ſo good reaſon, that though God had not commanded it, yet it had been our wiſeſt way to have choſen it. But luſt doth oft ſo bleer the underſtanding, that a man ſhall thinke he hath reaſon to be mad, and that there is great ſenſe in ſinning.
Verſe 14. That if a man have long hair] Buſhes of vanity, which they will never part with (ſaid Marbury) untill the devil put a caudle into the buſh. But our Gallants object, That the Apoſtle here intendeth ſuch hair as is as long as womens hair. Whereunto we anſwer. That Homer calleth the Greeks hair-nouriſhing men, who yet did not wear their hair long as women.foreign Home… How Cromwell handled the ſhag-haired ruffian; See Acts and Monuments of the Church, folio 1083. How God hath puniſhed this unnaturall ſin by that loathſome and horrible diſeaſe in the hair, called Plica Polonica; See Hercules de Saxonia: And out of him Mr Bolion in his four laſt things, pag 40. It begun firſt (ſaith he) not many years ago in Poland: It is now entered into many parts of Germany. And methinks our monſtrous faſhioniſts both male and female, the one for nouriſhing their horrid buſhes of vanity: the other for their moſt unnaturall and curſed cutting their hair, ſhould every hour fear and tremble, leſt they ſhould bring it upon their own heads, and amongſt us in this kingdom.Daniels Hiſt: 67. Our henry 1. repreſſed the wearing of long hair: which though it were a gaiety of no charge, yet for the undecency thereof, he reformed it, and all other diſſoluteneſſe. See Mr Prins Ʋnlovelineſſe of love-locks.
Verſe 15. Her hair is given her] Now it is a vile thing to go againſt nature. Cyprian and Austin ſay, That gariſh apparell is worſe then whoredom: becauſe whoredom only corrupts chaſtity, but this corrupts nature.
Verſe 16. Seem to be contentious] Adectore glori…ſ…, & Paſtore contentioſo, & inutilibus quaeſtionibus, liberet Eccleſiam ſuam Dominus, ſaid Luther. From a vain-glorious Doctour, from a contentious Paſtour, and from endleſſe and needleſſe controverſies, the good Lord deliver his Church.
We have no ſuch custome] viz. To ſtrive about trifles, but to ſubmit to our teachers,Bifield on 1 Pet. 3. Heb. 13.17. It is a vile thing, ſaith one, to vex our Miniſters by our obſtinacy; yea, though they were not able to make ſo full demonſtration, yet when they reprove ſuch things, out of a ſpirituall j…alouſie and fear that they corrupt the peoples hearts, they are to be heard and obeyed.
Verſe 17. I praiſe you not] q. d. I diſcommend and diſpraiſe you. The Corinthians were in many things faulty and blame-worthy. St Paul deals plainly and freely with them, and would not therefore take their offered kindeneſſe, 2 Cor. 12. leſt he ſhould be ingaged to them, and by receiving a curteſie, fell his liberty.
Verſe 18.foreign There be diviſions] Gr. Schiſmes, rents, yea, and that about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper (that bond of love) thorow Satans malice. Now there can be no greater ſinne committed, ſaith Chryſoſtome, Hom. 11. ad Epheſ. Lib. de unitate Eccleſie Oecol. ad frat. in Sueviathen to break the peace of the Church. Cyprian ſaith, It is an inexpiable blemiſh, ſuch as cannot be waſht oſt with the bloud of martyrdome. The errour of it may be pardoned (ſaith Oecolampadius in his Epiſtle to the Lutherans of Suevia) ſo there be faith in Chriſt Jeſus: but the diſcord we cannot expiate, though we ſhould lay down our lives to doe it.
Verſe 19. There muſt be hereſi…s] Therefore much more ſchiſmes, which alſo, for moſt part, do degenerate into hereſies; as an old Serpent into a Dragon. In the time of Pope Clement the fifth, Frederick King of Sicily was ſo offended at the evil government of the Church, that he began to queſtion the truth of the Chriſtian religion. But Arnoldus de villa nova confirmed and ſetled him by this and ſuch like places of Scripture, Offences muſt come, there muſt be hereſies, &c. God having ſo decreed and fore-told it.
May be made manifest] As they are now, if ever, in theſe ſhedding and diſcriminating times. So in the Palatinase they fell to Popery, as faſt as leaves in Autumn.
Verſe 20. This is not to cat, &c.] When the Lords Supper therefore is not rightly adminiſtred, it is no longer his; eſpecially if the ſubſtantials thereof be omitted. As in thoſe Sacrifices, Hoſ. 9 4. Their bread for their ſoul ſhall not come into the houſe of the Lord; that is, the bread for their naturall ſuſtenance. He ſpeaks of that meat-offering, Levit. 2.5. appointed for a ſpirituall uſe, yet called the bread for their life or livelihood; becauſe God eſteemed it no other then common meat. So Jer. 7.21. in ſcorn he cals their ſacrifice, fleſh, &c.
Verſe 21. Every one taketh] Eateth and communicateth with thoſe o… his own ſect and faction only, not ſtaying for others. Such among the Philippians were thoſe of the conciſion, Chap. 3.2. that made diviſions, and cut the Church into little pieces and ſucking Congregations, making ſeparation.
Verſe 22. What? Have ye not houſes] Here he aboliſheth their love-feaſts, for the diſorder that fell out therein. The Greek Church nevertheleſſe retained them: but the Roman Church laid them down, as Juſtin Martyr witneſſeth.
Verſe 23. For I have received] Rectumeſt regula ſui & obliqui. The Apoſtle ſeems to rectifie them, by reducing them to the firſt inſtitution.
The ſame night, &c.] It was his laſt bequeath to his Church, for a foreign, as Ignatius hath it, a ſoveraign both purgative and preſervative.
This is my body] En praeclaram illam conſecrationem, Behold that goodly conſecration (ſaith Beza) for the which the Shavelings ſay, that they are more holy, then the very virgin Mary. For that Mary only conceived Chriſt, but they create him.Beza in confeſſ: 241. Whereunto the Virgin might well reply, That ſhe carefully nouriſhed Chriſt whom they cruelly devour. Doſt thou beleeve (ſaid the Doctour to the Martyr) that Chriſts body and bloud is in the Euchariſt really and ſubſtantially? I believe, ſaith he,Act. and Mon. that that is a reall lie, and a ſubſtantiall lie. When Cranmer was brought forth to diſpute in Oxford, Dr Weston Prolocutour thus began the diſputation,Act. and Mon. fol. 1300. Convenistis bodiè fratres, profligaturi deteſtandam illam haereſin de veritate corporis Chriſti in Sacramento, &c. At which miſtake, divers learned men burſt out into a great laughter.
Verſe 25. He took the Cup] See the Note on Matthew 26.27.
Verſe 26. Ye do ſhew] We need no other crucifix to minde us of Chriſts paſſion.
Till he come] There ſhall be a Church then, and the pure worſhip of God, till the worlds end, maugre the malice of tyrants and heretikes.
Verſe 27. Shall be guilty] Becauſe they profane the holy ſymbols and pledges of Chriſts bleſſed body and bloud. Theſe are in ſome ſenſe, as guilty as thoſe that ſpit upon Chriſts face, or that ſpilt his bloud: As the Donatiſts that caſt the holy elements to dogs; or as that wretched Booth a Bachelour of Arts in S. Johns Colledge in Cambridge, who being Popiſhly affected, at the time of the Communion took the conſecrated bread, and forbearing to eat it,B. Morton Inſtit of the Sacr: l. 5. c. 3. convey'd and kept it cloſely for a time, and afterwards threw it over the Colledge-wall. Not long after this, he threw himſelf headlong over the battlements of the Chappel, and ſo ended his life.
Verſe 28. Let a man examine] A Metaphor from Metallaries or Lapidiſts, as they try their mettals or precious ſtones, and do it exactly, that they be not cozened, ſo here, men muſt make an exact ſcrutiny.
And ſo let him eat] After preparation, participation. The Heathens had their caena pura, the night before their Sacrifices. The Ruſſians receive children after ſeven years old to the Communion, ſaying,Breerwoods Enquit. 135. that at that age they begin to ſin againſt God. But can they ſay, that at that age they can examine themſelves, and receive preparedly? Chryſoſtome calleth the Lords Table, that dreadfull table, foreignand the Ancients call the Sacraments dreadfull myſteries.
Verſe 29. Eateth and drinketh damnation] He that came in without a wedding-garment on his back, went not away without fetters on his feet: He was taken from the table to the tormentours. Gods table becomes a ſnare to unworthy receivers; they eat their bane, they drink their poiſon. Henry the ſeventh Emperour of Germany, was poiſoned in the Sacramentall bread by a Monke. Pope Victor 2. by his ſub. Deacon in the Chalice; and one of our Biſhops of York by poiſon put into the wine at Sacrament. God will deal with ill communicants, as Job 20.23. They will ſpeed no better then Amnon did at Abſoloms feaſt.
Verſe 30. Many are weak] The mortality at Corinth began at Gods houſe, and that for unworthy communicating. God will be ſanctified of all that draw-near to him. He loves to be acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience, and yet he takes ſtate upon him in his ordinances, and will be ſerved like himſelf, or we ſhall hear from him.
Verſe 31. We ſhould not be judged] God ſhould be prevented, and the devil put out of office, as having nothing to ſay againſt us, but what we have ſaid before.
Verſe 32. That we ſhould not, &c.] Ferre minora volo, ne graviora feram.
Verſe 33. Wherefore my brethren] He that reproveth and adviſeth not, doth as it were ſnuff the lamp, and not pour in oyl.