The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

VERS. V.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

But every woman.

I. IT was the custom of the women, and that prescribed them under severe Canons, that they should not go abroad but with their face vailed.

If m 1.1 a woman do these things, she transgresseth the Jewish Law: if she go out into the street, or into an open Porch, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and there be not a vail upon her, as upon all women, although her hair be rolled up under a hood. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 What n 1.2 is the Jew∣ish Law? Let not a woman go with her head uncovered. This is founded in the Law; for it is said (of the suspected wife) The Priest shall uncover her head (Numb. V. 18.) And the tradition of the School of Ismael is, that the Daughters of Israel are admonished hence, not to go forth with their heads not vailed. And, o 1.3 Modest women colour one Eye with paint. The Gloss there is. Modest woman went vailed, and uncovered but one Eye, that they might see, and that Eye they coloured. p 1.4 One made bare a womons head in the street: she came to complain before R. Akiba, and he fined the man four hundred Zuzees.

II. But however women were vailed in the streets, yet when they resorted unto holy Service, they took off their vails, and exposed their naked faces; and that not out of lightness, but out of religion. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 q 1.5 The three feasts are the Scabs of the year. The Gloss is, The three feasts (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles) are the break∣ings out of the year by the reason of the association of men and women, and because of trans∣gressions. Because in the days of those feasts men and women assembled together, to hear Ser∣mons, and cast their Eyes upon one another. And some say, that for this cause they were wont to fast after Passover and Pentecost.

From whence it may readily be gathered, that men and women should not so promis∣cuously and confusedly meet and sit together, nor that they should so look upon one another, as in the Courts of the Temple, and at Jerusalem, when such innumerable mul∣titudes flocked to the Feasts: but that women should sit by themselves, divided from the men, where they might hear and see what is done in the Synagogue, yet they themselves remain out of sight. Which custom, Baronius proves at large, and not amiss, that those first Churches of the Christians retained.

When the women therefore did thus meet apart, it is no wonder, if they took off the vails from their faces, when they were now out of the sight of men, and the cause of their vailing being removed, which indeed was, that they might not be seen by men. The Apostle therefore does not at all chide this making bare the face absolutely conside∣red, but there lies something else within. For,

III. This warning of the Apostle respects not only publick religious meetings, but be∣longs to those things, which were done by men and women in their houses, and inner chambers: for there also, they used these rites, when they prayed and handled holy things privately, as well as in the publick assemblies. r 1.6 Rabban Gamaliel journying, and being asked by one that met him concerning a certain vow, he light off his horse 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and vailed himself, and sat down, and loosed the vow. So R. Judah Bar Allai, on the Sabbath Eve, when he composed himself in his house, to meet and receive the Sabbath, they brought him warm water, and he washed his face and hands, and feet, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And vailing himself with his linnin cloth of divers colours, he sat down, and was like the An∣gel

of the Lord of Hosts. So in the example of Nicodemus, lately produced, He went into his School alone privately, and vailed himself, and prayed. So did men privately, and women also on the contrary baring their faces privately. A reason is given of the former, namely, that the men were vailed for reverence towards God, and as being ashamed before God: but why the women were not vailed also, the reason is more obscure.

A more general may easily be rendred, viz. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That a woman was loosed, or free from the precept, that is, from very many rites, to which men were subject; as from the carrying of Fringes, and Phylacteries, from these or the other forms and oc∣casions of prayers, and from very many Ceremonies and Laws, to which men were bound. s 1.7 R. Meir saith, Every man is bound to these three benedictions every day: Blessed be God, that he hath not made me a Heathen: that he hath not made me a woman; that he hath not made me 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 stupid, or unlearned. But Rabb Acha bar Jacob, when he heard his Son say∣ing, Blessed be God, that he hath not made me 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 unlearned, stuck at it; and upon this reason, as the Gloss interprets, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Because a Heathen and a wo∣man are not capable of the precept: but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a rude or unlearned man is capable. Deservedly therefore God is blessed, that God made him not a Heathen, or a woman.

By this Canon that a woman was loosed from the precept, they were exempted from cove∣ring the face during Religious Worship, when that precept respected men, and not wo∣men. But if you require a more particular reason of this exemption, what reason will you find for it? It is almost an even lay, whether the Canonists exempted women from vailing, because they valued them much, or because they valued them little. In some things, they place women below the dignity, and without the necessity of observing those or the other rites; and whether in this thing they were of the same opinion; or that on the contrary, they attributed more to the beauty of the faces of women, than of men, is a just question. But whether the thing bend this way or the other, the correcti∣on and warning of the Apostle doth excellently sute to this, or to that, as it will appear in what follows.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Dishonoureth her head.

Dishonoureth her head? What head? That which she carries upon her shoulders? Or that, to which she is subjected? As the man to Christ, the woman to the man. That the Apostle is to be understood especially of the later, appears from the verse before, and in∣deed from the whole context. For to what end are those words produced, vers. 3. I would have you know, that the head of the woman is the man, &c. unless that they be apply∣ed, and make to the Apostles business im the verses following.

Nor yet is the subjection of the woman, and the superiority of the man, all that by, and because of which the Apostle concludes, that a woman must not pray, but vailed, and a man the contrary. For if it were so argued by him, Let not a woman pray but with her head covered, because she is subject to her husband: it might be argued in like manner; Let not a man pray, but with his head covered, because he is subject to Christ.

I fear, lest that interpretation, which supposeth the vailing of women in this place, as a sign of the womans subjection to her husband, should more obscure the sense of this place, obscure enough indeed of it self. So one writes, t 1.8 A woman ought to have a cove∣ring, that she may shew her self humble, and to be subject to her husband. And another, u 1.9 Now the reason of the vailing of women is, because they are subject to men, &c. x 1.10 Take a covering, by which is signified, that the wise is in the power of the husband. And lastly, y 1.11 A vail, whereby is signified, that she is subject to the power of another. And very many to the same sense. But let me ask,

I. Where, I beseech you, is a vail propounded as a sign of such subjection? It is put indeed as a sign of true modesty, Gen. XXIV. 65. and of dissembled modesty, Gen. XXXVIII. 14. but where is it used as a sign of subjection?

II. Hair was given to our grandmother Eve for a Covering (as the Apostle clearly asserts in this place) from the first moment of her creation, before she was subjected to a husband, and heard that, He shall rule over thee; yea, before she was married to Adam.

III. The Apostle treats not of wives alone, but of women in general, whether they were Wives, Virgins or Widdows.

IV. The obligation of subjection towards the husband follows the woman ever and every where; ought she ever and every where to carry a vail with her, as a sign of that subjection? Must she necessarily be vailed, while she is about the affairs of her family? Must she be vailed in the garden, in the fields, walking alone, or with her family? It is clear enough, the Apostle speaks of vailing only, when they were employed in Religious Worship; and that regard is had to something that belongs to the woman in respect of

God, rather than in respect of her husband. And although we should not deny the vailing of the woman was some sign of her subjection towards her husband; yet we do deny, that the vailing, concerning which the Apostle here speaks, hath any regard to it.

V. The Jews assign shame as the reason of the womans vailing. z 1.12 Why does a man go abroad with his head not covered, but women with their heads covered? R. Josua saith, It is as when one transgresseth, and is made ashamed: she therefore goes with her head vailed. Behold a vail, a sign indeed of shame, but not of subjection. And they fetch the shame of the woman thence, that she first brought sin into the world.

Therefore the Apostle requires the vailing of the woman in Religious Worship, by the same notion and reason, as men vailed themselves, namely for reverence towards God. But certainly it may be enquired, whether he so much urgeth the vailing of women, as reproves the vailing of men. However, by this most fit argument, he well chastiseth that contrary custom, and foolishness of men: as though he had said, Do ye not con∣sider, that the man is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Glory of God, but the woman is only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Glory of the Man; that woman was made for man; that man is the head of the woman: and then how ridiculous is it, that men should use a vail, when they pray, out of reverence and shame before God, and women not use it, whose glory is less? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The woman is the glory of the man: So R. Solomon a 1.13, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Like the glory of the man, that is, saith he, Like the woman, who is the glory of the husband. See also the Targum.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Dishonoureth her head. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The lightness of the head, among the Talmudists is Levity or irreverence: and if you should render the Greek ex∣pression in the same sense, as though it were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He vili••ies his head, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 She vili••ies her head, one should not much stray either from Grammar, or from truth. But the sense ariseth higher: a man praying covered, as ashamed of his face be∣fore God, disgraceth his head, Christ, who himself carried the like face of a man: espe∣cially, he disgraceth the office of Christ, by whom we have access to God with confidence. And a woman praying not vailed, as if she were not ashamed of her face, disgraceth man, her head, while she would seem so beautiful beyond him, when she is only the glo∣ry of the man: but the man is the glory of God.

Notes

• m 1.1

  Maimon. in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cap. 24
• n 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. fol. 72. 1.
• o 1.3

  Schab. ••. ••0. 1
• p 1.4

  Bava Kama, fol. 90. 2.
• q 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. fol. ••••. 1.
• r 1.6

  Hieros. Av••∣••ah Z••r••h. fol. 4••. 1.
• s 1.7

  In Menachoth, fol. 43. 2.
• t 1.8

  Primasius.
• u 1.9

  Carthus••an.
• x 1.10

  Beza.
• y 1.11

  Camerarius.
• z 1.12

  ••ereshith R ••••. §. 17.
• a 1.13

  In Esay XLIV. 13.