You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord, and the chalice of devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils.

“Nor do we dislike the temples less than the monuments: we have nothing to do with either altar, we adore neither image; we do not offer sacrifices to the gods, and we make no funeral oblations to the departed; nay, we do not partake of what is offered either in the one case or the other, for we cannot partake of God's feast and the feast of devils. If, then, we keep throat and belly free from such defilements, how much more do we withhold our nobler parts, our ears and eyes, from the idolatrous and funereal enjoyments, which are not passed through the body, but are digested in the very spirit and soul, whose purity, much more than that of our bodily organs, God has a right to claim from us.”

“And I wish, if it could be so without the sacrifice of our brethren's safety, that they could make good their claim to all things; I could dissemble and bear the discredit of my episcopal authority, as I always have dissembled and borne it. But it is not now the occasion for dissimulating when our brotherhood is deceived by some of you, who, while without the means of restoring salvation they desire to please, become a still greater stumbling-block to the lapsed, For that it is a very great crime which persecution has compelled to be committed, they themselves know who have committed it; since our Lord and Judge has said, "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven; but whosoever shall deny me, him will I also deny." And again He has said, "All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies; but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost shall not have forgiveness, but is guilty of eternal sin." Also the blessed apostle has said, "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils." He who withholds these words from our brethren deceives them, wretched that they are; so that they who truly repenting might satisfy God, both as the Father and as merciful, with their prayers and works, are seduced more deeply to perish; and they who might raise themselves up fall the more deeply. For although in smaller sins sinners may do penance for a set time, and according to the rules of discipline come to public confession, and by imposition of the hand of the bishop and clergy receive the right of communion: now with their time still unfulfilled, while persecution is still raging, while the peace of the Church itself is not vet restored, they are admitted to communion, and their name is presented; and while the penitence is not yet performed, confession is not yet made, the hands Of the bishop and clergy are not yet laid upon them, the eucharist is given to them; although it is written, "Whosoever shall eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."”

“But the ways in which this garment may be spotted are these: If any one withdraw from God the Father and Creator of all, receiving another teacher besides Christ, who alone is the faithful and true Prophet, and who has sent us twelve apostles to preach the word; if any one think otherwise than worthily of the substance of the Godhead, which excels all things;— these are the things which even fatally pollute the garment of baptism. But the things which pollute it in actions are these: murders, adulteries, hatreds, avarice, evil ambition. And the things which pollute at once the soul and the body are these: to partake of the table of demons, that is, to taste things sacrificed, or blood, or a carcass which is strangled, and if there be anything else which has been offered to demons. Be this therefore the first step to you of three; which step brings forth thirty commands, and the second sixty, and the third a hundred, as we shall expound more fully to you at another time.”

“Next, because he brought in the saying by way of exhortation, lest any of the grosser sort should make light of it as having license, because he said, "I would not," and, "judge ye;" he positively affirms in what follows and lays down the law, saying, "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the Lord's table, and of the table of demons." And he contents himself with the mere terms, for the purpose of keeping them away.”

“And though ye allow that the universe was created in six days, yet ye find no mention of the making of a third heaven, and far less of the eight or nine which ye venture to affirm. How great is your knowledge! how great your wisdom! how great your intelligence! how great your inconsistency! No man can serve two masters, as has well been said by the Lord, but if one will serve God, let him serve him, or if Mammon, then Mammon. And again he says, through Paul: Ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils. And again: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with lawlessness, and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?”

“Above he warned them to abstain from eating things sacrificed to idols, first out of fear of a like punishment, second from the communion of the altar; here, thirdly, he warns them to the same by the likeness of the legal sacrifice. In this, first he arouses attention; second he shows his proposition, at "are not they that eat of the sacrifices." He says therefore "behold." This is read in two ways. In one way concerning the sacrifices of the Jews, in another way concerning the rite of the gentiles. In the first way, this word which he says, "Israel," is of the accusative case; in the other way, of the vocative. In the first way thus, as if he were to say: we, being many, are one body, who partake of one bread and of one cup. And this is plain through this likeness: "behold Israel according to the flesh" — supply, walking, that is, serving carnal sacrifices. He says this to distinguish it from Israel according to the spirit. Concerning both, Rom. 2:28: "for not he who is openly a Jew," et cetera. "Are not they that eat of the sacrifices" — the legal ones — "partakers of the altar" — the legal one? Just as they who eat the flesh and blood of Christ are partakers of his body. In the second way it is read thus: "behold, O Israel" — O you who are Israel, seeing spiritually, namely God; behold, I say, "the things that are according to the flesh," that is, in the carnal rite of idolatry. "Are not they that eat of the sacrifices" — namely, those immolated to idols — "partakers of the altar" — of demons and of idols? As if he were to say: yes. His reasoning therefore is this: they who eat the sacrifices offered to the altar are partakers of the altar. By like reasoning, they who eat the sacrifices immolated to idols are partakers of idols, or of demons. Then, when he says "what therefore do I say?," etc. — above he set down the warning to beware of eating things sacrificed to idols; here he sets down the cause of the warning. He sets down four causes why they ought to abstain from things sacrificed to idols: first, to avoid the company of the demon; second, to avoid exclusion from the sacred communion, at "because you cannot drink the cup of the Lord," etc.; third, to avoid the indignation of God, at "do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?," etc.; fourth, on account of the injury of the brethren, at "all things are lawful to me," et cetera. In the first, first he shows by this that he does not say this because he reckons an idol, or a thing sacrificed to an idol, to be of any power; second, that it is rather for this reason, because it is immolated to demons, at "but the things which they sacrifice," etc.; third, that he does not wish them to be companions of demons, at "but I would not that you should be made partakers," et cetera. He says therefore: "what then?" As if he were to say: I warn you to beware of things sacrificed to idols. What then do I say? That is, what do I seem to be saying by this warning? Is it this — supply, that that which is sacrificed to idols is something, or of some power, so as to harm, or that an idol is something worthy of veneration? As if he were to say: no. Ps. 134:17: "for neither is there any spirit in their mouth." But I say this rather, that "the things which the gentiles sacrifice," they sacrifice to an idol, to a demon, "and not to God." Ps. 95:5: "all the gods of the gentiles are demons." Deut. 32:17: "they sacrificed to demons, and not to God." Then, when he says "but I would not that you should be made," etc., he shows that he does not wish them to be made companions of demons, which would happen if they shared in the table of idols. And this is what he says: "but I would not that you," who are the faithful, "should be made companions of demons" — namely, by eating of those things which are sacrificed to idols. 2 Cor. 6:14 f.: "what fellowship has light with darkness, or what agreement has Christ with Belial?" Then, when he says "you cannot drink the cup," et cetera. Behold the second reason why one must abstain from things sacrificed to idols, which is this: everything that excludes from the communion of the body and blood of Christ is to be avoided; the eating of things sacrificed to idols is of this kind; therefore it is to be avoided. First, therefore, he shows that eating of this kind excludes from the communion of the blood of Christ; second, that it also excludes from the communion of the body of Christ, at "you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord," et cetera. He says therefore "you cannot," etc., as if he were to say: I do not wish you to be made companions of demons. Now he says this for this reason: because "you cannot drink the cup of the Lord" — by a spiritual drinking, not a merely sacramental one; Ps. 115:13: "I will take the chalice of salvation" — "and the cup of demons," at the same time: and this as regards the sacrament of the blood. "You cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord," as regards the sacrament of the body, "and of the table of demons." Matt. 6:24: "no man can serve two masters." Behold therefore a fruitful cup, because precious to drink spiritually, because pure and clean in a special way as the Lord's, because it is not given usefully to the unclean. Likewise it can be said of the table. Then, when he says "do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?," etc., behold the third reason, which is this: everything that provokes the wrath of God is to be avoided; the eating of things sacrificed to idols is of this kind, therefore it is to be avoided. First, therefore, he shows that God is provoked by such eating; second, that it is foolish to provoke him, at "are we stronger than he?," et cetera. He says therefore "do we provoke to jealousy," that is, do we wish to provoke the Lord to wrath, by eating things sacrificed to idols? Or thus, "do we provoke the Lord to jealousy," that is, do we envy him, so that we do this as it were in contempt of him? Deut. 32:16: "they provoked him with gods." "Are we" — as if he were to say: we ought not to provoke him. "Are we stronger than he?" As if he were to say: no. Job 9:19: "if strength be sought, he is most mighty." For it is foolish to provoke one stronger than oneself. It should be noted, concerning that phrase "but I would not that you should be made companions," that there is a good fellowship and an evil one, and each is fourfold. There is, then, a good fellowship: first, of the divine persons, concerning which 1 John 1:3: "that we may have fellowship with God, and our fellowship be with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." And this the highest delight requires, because the possession of nothing is delightful without a companion. Second, of the holy angels, concerning which Tob. 5:27: "for I believe that a good angel of God accompanies him," and this the dignity of man requires. Jerome: "great is the dignity of souls," et cetera. Third, of just men, concerning which Gal. 2:9: "James and John gave to me and to Barnabas the right hands of fellowship," and this our own advantage requires. Eccles. 4:9: "two are better," et cetera. Fourth, of the blessed, concerning which Apoc. 1:9: "I John, your companion and brother in tribulation and in the kingdom," and this a common happiness requires; for if we are companions of the suffering, we shall also be companions of the consolation, 2 Cor. 1:7. The evil fellowship is likewise fourfold: first, on the part of the wicked, concerning which Isa. 1:23: "your princes are faithless, companions of thieves." This is the fellowship of Herod and Pilate in the crucifixion of Christ. Second, of hypocrites, concerning which Job 30:29: "I was a brother to dragons, and a companion to ostriches," which seems to have wings and cannot fly. This is the fellowship of the fox and the wolf. Third, of demons, concerning which Job 18:15: "let there dwell in his tabernacle the companions of him that is not." This is the fellowship of the cat and the mouse, of the executioner and the ox. Fourth, of the damned, concerning which 2 Cor. 6:14: "what fellowship has light with darkness?" This is the fellowship of those imprisoned in the fire. Then, when he says "all things are lawful to me," etc., the fourth reason is set down, which is this: everything that harms the salvation of one's neighbors is to be avoided; but the eating of things sacrificed to idols is of this kind, therefore it is to be avoided. First he shows that such eating does not profit the one who eats; second, that it harms another, at "all things are lawful to me," et cetera. He says therefore "all things are lawful to me," etc., as if he were to say: if I should say that those sin who eat things sacrificed to idols, I do not for that reason say that foods are unlawful in themselves, because all things that pertain to food are lawful to me. Or: "and if all things are lawful to me, yet not all things are expedient," that is, they help me in my course. Similarly above, 6:12. "All things are lawful to me," that is, even if all things were lawful to me, yet not all things edify one's neighbors, but those things which belong to charity; above, 8:1: "knowledge puffs up, charity edifies." And because not all things edify, "let no one seek only what is his own," for charity "seeks not the things that are her own," below, 13:5, "but that which is another's," that is, that which profits another. But alas — it is said in Phil. 2:21: "all seek the things that are their own." The apostle, therefore, is to be heeded, who both teaches the truth and counsels the good. He teaches a twofold truth, namely, of what is expedient for oneself, because "all things are lawful, but not all are expedient," and of edification for others, because "all things are lawful, but not all things edify." He counsels a twofold good, namely, of what is expedient for oneself, "let no one seek only what is his own," and of edification for others, "but that which is another's."”

“Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils,.... Not only they ought not, but they could not rightly, truly, and really drink the cup of wine in the Lord's supper, in the true faith of Christ's bloodshed, and his sacrifice offered up for them, in remembrance of his love, and to the honour of his name; and also the cup of wine of libations, poured out and drank to the honour of the Heathen deities; these things are utterly inconsistent; no man can serve two masters, God and mammon, or God and Baal; nor is there any concord between Christ and Belial, or agreement between the temple of God and idols: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils; no man can spiritually, however he may externally partake of the entertainment provided, on the table of the Lord, at his supper instituted and kept in commemoration of him; and also with gust and pleasure, and without any concern for the peace of weak minds, and the honour of God, eat things set upon a table in an idol's temple, and before the idol, and as sacrificed unto it.”

“Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord - It is in vain that you who frequent these idol festivals profess the religion of Christ, and commemorate his death and passion in the holy eucharist; for you can not have that fellowship with Christ which this ordinance implies, while you are partakers of the table of demons. That the Gentiles, in their sacrifices, fed on the slain beasts, and ate bread and drank wine in honor of their gods, is sufficiently clear from various accounts. See my Discourse on the Holy Eucharist, where many examples are produced. The following from Virgil, Aen. viii, verse 179-273, is proof in point: - Tum lecti juvenes certatim araeque sacerdos Viscera tosta ferunt taurorum, onerantque canistris Dona laboratae Cereris, Bacchumque ministrant. Vescitur Aeneas simul et Trojana juventus Perpetui tergo bovis et lustralibus extis. - Quare agite, O juvenes, tantarum in munere laudum, Cingite fronde comas, et pocula porgite dextris, Communemque vocate Deum, et date vina volentes. The loaves were served in canisters; the wine In bowls; the priests renewed the rites divine: Broiled entrails are their food, and beef's continued chine Ye warlike youths, your heads with garlands crown, Fill high the goblets with a sparkling flood, And with deep draughts invoke our common god.”

“In all this discourse, a comparison is instituted between the Christian host and oblation, its effects, conditions and properties, with the altars, hosts, sacrifices and immolations of the Jews and Gentiles; which the apostle could not have done, had there not been a proper sacrifice in the Christian worship. The holy Fathers teach the same with the ancient Councils. This in the council of Nice: The lamb of God laid upon the altar. Conc. Ephes., The unbloody service of the sacrifice. In St. Cyril of Alexandria, in Conc. Ephes., Anath. 11, The quickening holy sacrifice; the unbloody host and victim. Tertullian, de coron. milit., The propitiatory sacrifice both for the living and the dead. This Melchisedech did most singularly prefigure in his mystical oblation of bread and wine; this also according to the prophecy of Malachias, shall continue from the rising to the setting sun, a perpetual substitute for all the Jewish sacrifices; and this, in plain terms, is called the Mass, by St. Augustine, Serm. ccli. 91.; Conc. Cartha. ii. c. 3. 4. c. 84. Milevit. 12.; St. Leo, ep. 81. 88. chap. 2.; St. Gregory, lib. ii. ep. 9. 92. &c. &c. See next chapter ver. 24.”

“Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord--really and spiritually; though ye may outwardly (Kg1 18:21). cup of devils--in contrast to the cup of the Lord. At idol feasts libations were usually made from the cup to the idol first, and then the guests drank; so that in drinking they had fellowship with the idol. the Lord's table--The Lord's Supper is a feast on a table, not a sacrifice on an altar. Our only altar is the cross, our only sacrifice that of Christ once for all. The Lord's Supper stands, however, in the same relation, analogically, to Christ's sacrifice, as the Jews' sacrificial feasts did to their sacrifices (compare Mal 1:7, "altar . . . table of the Lord"), and the heathen idol feasts to their idolatrous sacrifices (Isa 65:11). The heathen sacrifices were offered to idol nonentities, behind which Satan lurked. The Jews' sacrifice was but a shadow of the substance which was to come. Our one sacrifice of Christ is the only substantial reality; therefore, while the partaker of the Jew's sacrificial feast partook rather "of the altar" (Co1 10:18) than of GOD manifested fully, and the heathen idol-feaster had fellowship really with demons, the communicant in the Lord's Supper has in it a real communion of, or fellowship in, the body of Christ once sacrificed, and now exalted as the Head of redeemed humanity.”