Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, and by them that have known the truth.

“And since the demons assist the most wicked, the Saviour came for the destruction of evil men and of the demons, but for the salvation of the good. They declare also, that marriage and generation are from Satan. Many of those, too, who belong to his school, abstain from animal food, and draw away multitudes by a reigned temperance of this kind.”

“It follows that celibacy is not particularly praiseworthy unless it arises through love of God. The blessed Paul says of those who show a distaste for marriage, "In the last days people will abandon the faith, attaching themselves to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demonic powers that they should abstain from food, at the same time forbidding marriage." Again he says, "Do not let anyone disqualify you in forced piety of self-mortification and severity to the body." Well? Did not the righteous of past days share gratefully in God's creation? Some of them married and produced children without loss of self-control.”

“The apostle set a brand upon those who were inclined entirely to forbid marriage and who were determined to lay an interdict on meats which God has created. We, however, do not do away with marriage if we disavow its repetition, nor do we condemn meats if we fast oftener than others. It is one thing to regulate but another thing to do away with altogether.”

“For bear with me, O Marcion: as you have instituted a comparison of what is good and evil, I also to-day will institute a comparison following up your own tenets, as you suppose them to be. You affirm that the Demiurge of the world is evil — why not hide your countenance in shame, (as thus) teaching to the Church the doctrines of Empedocles? You say that there is a good Deity who destroys the works of the Demiurge: then do not you plainly preach to your pupils, as the good Deity, the Friendship of Empedocles. You forbid marriage, the procreation of children, (and) the abstaining from meats which God has created for participation by the faithful, and those that know the truth. (Thinkest thou, then,) that thou canst escape detection, (while thus) enjoining the purificatory rites of Empedocles? For in point of fact you follow in every respect this (philosopher of paganism), while you instruct your own disciples to refuse meats, in order not to eat any body (that might be) a remnant of a soul which has been punished by the Demiurge. You dissolve marriages that have been cemented by the Deity. And here again you conform to the tenets of Empedocles, in order that for you the work of Friendship may be perpetuated as one (and) indivisible. For, according to Empedocles, matrimony separates unity, and makes (out of it) plurality, as we have proved.”

“It should also be laid down as essential that continency is inexorably demanded of combatants for godliness, so that they may bring the body into subjection, "for every athlete exercises self-control in all things." However, to avoid being classed with the enemies of God who are seared in their conscience and, therefore, abstain from food which God has made for the faithful to partake of with thanksgiving, we should taste each dish when occasion offers so as to indicate to those looking on that "all things are clean to the clean" and that "every creature of God is good and nothing to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." The aim of continency must nevertheless be kept in mind also, to the extent that we satisfy our need with the plainer foods and those necessary to sustain life, avoiding the evil of taking our fill of them and abstaining absolutely from those foods whose sole purpose is to give delight.”

“Do not abhor meats as if they were taboo. The apostle evidently knew people like that, since he says that there are those "who forbid to marry and command to abstain from meats which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe." If therefore you are abstaining from these things, let it not be as from things abominated, or your reward is lost, but as good things let them be transcended, in the quest of the fairer spiritual rewards that are set before you.”

“Let no one think … we are disregarding the institution of marriage. We are not ignorant of the fact that this also is not deprived of God's blessing. But since there is sufficient support for it and since the common nature of man, bestowed on all who come to birth through marriage, automatically inclines in this direction—whereas virginity somehow goes against nature—it would be superfluous to go to the trouble of writing a plea for marriage or a eulogy of it. It is pointless to emphasize its indisputable inducement, I mean pleasure, unless there should be need of such words because of some people who tamper with the teachings of the church on marriage, whom the apostle calls "those having their conscience branded."”

“"Well," someone says, "what do you expect us to do? To live in the mountains and become monks?" This question saddens me for this reason, that some think only monks to be truly concerned with decency and chastity. Yet surely Christ made his laws to apply to everyone.… Indeed, I do not "forbid marriage," nor do I mean to block your access to pleasure, but I want you to have it in a chaste way, not shamefully or in a way deserving reproach and subject to endless misgivings. I do not insist that you live in the mountains and the deserts but that you be good and moderate and chaste, while dwelling in the midst of the city.”

“The fact that the Lord was invited and came to the wedding, even without considering the mystical meaning, was meant to affirm what he himself created. For there were going to be those, about whom the apostle spoke, who would forbid marriage and say that marriage is an evil and that the devil created it, although the same Lord in the Gospel, when asked whether a man is allowed to divorce his wife for any reason, replied that he is not allowed except in the case of fornication.”

“Above, he instructed Timothy about the things pertaining to the ordering of the Church in spiritual matters; secondly, as to the teaching of the faith, the worship of God, and the disposition of the ministries — here he instructs him about the ordering of the Church as to external things. And first as to foods; secondly as to the states of men and riches, there: whoever are under the yoke. Again, first he treats of the use of foods, secondly of the dispensing of foods, chapter 5, there: honor widows. Again, first he excludes superstitious abstinence; secondly he prefers the piety of lawful abstinence, there: exercise yourself. Again, first he foretells the false doctrine about unlawful abstinence; secondly he instructs him to propose these things to the brothers, there: proposing these things. Again, first he makes the error manifest; secondly he excludes it, there: whom God. Again, first he foretells the error to come on the part of those deceived; secondly on the part of those who deceive, there: in hypocrisy. Again, he sets down the agent of the pronouncement; secondly, the falling-away of faith, there: because in the last; thirdly, the cause of the falling-away, there: giving heed. He says therefore: great is the sacrament of piety, which was justified in the spirit, but beyond this sacrament the Holy Spirit foretells something that is to come. For it belongs to him to reveal mysteries. II Cor. XV, v. 2 and Jn. 16:13: the things that are to come, he will announce to you. The Spirit, therefore, foretells beforehand the future secrets in the heart of the Father. But formerly he spoke in similitudes. Num. 12:6: if there be among you a prophet of the Lord, I will appear to him in a vision, or I will speak to him through a dream. Hos. 12:10: I have multiplied vision, and I have been likened in the hand of the prophets. But in the New Testament the Holy Spirit speaks openly. Jn. 16:25: and openly I will announce to you about my Father. And he foretells the falling-away of faith to come; hence he says in the last times, etc. The last time is called the final age, because we are those upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Yet within this time it is the more the last, the nearer it is to the last day. And just as in the primitive Church, on account of its nearness to Christ and to the sacraments recently instituted, faith was most fervent, so in the last times, in comparison to the time of the apostles, some will depart from the faith, because they will be carnal, but errors will abound the more toward the end. Gen. 49:1: gather together, that I may announce to you the things that are to come to you in the last days, etc. The cause of the falling-away is twofold: one on the part of the Devil who seduces. II Cor. 11:3: I fear lest, as the serpent seduced Eve by his cunning, etc. And therefore he says giving heed to spirits of error, namely to demons, whose office it is to send into error. Jn. 8:44: he is a liar, and the father of it. III Kings, last: I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit, etc. And he says spirits, because the greater demon has many ministers. But how do they give heed to them? Do they see them? No, but they speak within them. And therefore he adds a second cause, namely false doctrine. And according to the Gloss, he here calls the false teachers demons, and not undeservedly. For just as good men are sometimes called angels, so these, on account of their excelling malice, are called demons. Jn. 6:71: have I not chosen you twelve? And one of you is a devil. On the part of those who deceive there is a twofold cause: one, their falsity; the other, the perversity of their conscience. As to the first he says of demons, that is, of men possessed by a demon, and of these, I say, speaking lies. Jer. 23:26: how long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, and that prophesy the seductions of their own heart? And note that through a bare lie, without a cloak of appearance, no one could deceive anyone. And so these could deceive no one, unless they put forward some cloak, either of good intention, or of pretense, or of false authority. I Cor. 3:18: let no one seduce you, etc. II Tim. 3:5: having indeed the appearance of piety, that is, feigned piety. And of demons, I say, having their conscience cauterized. A cautery is a corruption in the flesh by fire, from which putrefaction continually issues. So from the fire of a perverse will, of anger, of hatred, of concupiscence, the conscience is ulcerated, and from demons false doctrine issues. Tit. 1:15: their minds are defiled. Then he shows what this false doctrine is, and touches on the heresy of the Manichees, who condemn matrimony, against that word of Matt. 19:6: what God has joined together, let man not separate; I Cor. 7:36: a woman does not sin if she marries. Again, the Manichees forbid the use of foods, that is, they command abstaining from foods. Now one may lawfully abstain from foods with the intention of taming the flesh, as Timothy abstained from wine, or on account of scandal, as the Apostle says, I Cor. 8:13: if food scandalizes my brother, I will not eat meat forever. Again, unlawfully: in one way, on account of the precept of the law, as though the legal observances still had to be kept, against which he speaks in Gal. 2. In another way, according to the heresy of the Manichees, not because it is forbidden by the law (which they condemn), but because they say that in meats, eggs, and wine, and things of this kind, that is, in some particle of such things, the divine nature is mingled — which cannot be thought concerning God. But he does not seem to say this about the foods of the law, because he says in the last days, but about those forbidden by the Manichees. And he calls these Manichees demons, because among all heresies they give more honor to the Devil, because they set him up as a principle equal with the good God, positing him as the principle of visible things. Now the Apostle disproves this erroneous doctrine in two ways: namely from the intention of God who creates foods; secondly from the condition of the creature, there: every creature. He says therefore that they forbid, to abstain, and this is against the intention of God, who created them for receiving. Gen. 9:3: as the green herbs I have given you all things, etc. But you say: are not plants for the sake of animals, and animals for the sake of men? I respond. It must be said that yes, according also to the Philosopher in Politics I, because the imperfect is ordered to the more perfect. And therefore just as in generation there is a manifold perfection — first namely of plants, then of animals, and last the human — so it is in the use of things. And therefore for receiving, but with the giving of thanks. I Thess., last: in all things give thanks; namely because they have been granted to you by God. Ps. 21:26: the poor shall eat, etc. And he adds to the faithful, because those who receive with the giving of thanks are faithful. For no one can give thanks to God in that which is unlawful. For he is foolish who gives thanks to God for fornication, because God is not the author of evils. Therefore he gives thanks who has this, that the use of foods is lawful. And this indeed becomes known through faith alone. And for this reason he says to the faithful. Then when he says who have known the truth, because every, etc., he disproves the error from the condition of the creature. And first he proposes that the creature is good in itself; secondly as to its use. He says therefore every creature is good, namely in its nature. Gen. 1:31: God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good. From a good author also nothing comes but what is good. But since many things are good in themselves, whose use nevertheless is not good, therefore he proves that every creature is good not only in itself but also as to its use. And first he sets down what is intended, secondly he proves it, there: for it is sanctified. He says therefore nothing is to be rejected, namely by the debt of the divine law, although for another cause: as eating poison, insofar as it is food, is not a sin, but it is to be rejected insofar as it is deadly. Likewise other foods too, insofar as they are such things, are not to be rejected, but insofar as they incite to wantonness. Therefore according to the discretion of reason, and the ordering of charity, they are not to be rejected. Matt. 15:11: everything that enters into the mouth does not defile a man, etc. Why then were certain foods forbidden in the old law? Augustine gives the reason against Faustus, that in that state, Christ was prefigured not only through words, but also through deeds. And therefore in foods, garments, and sacrifices there were figures of the state to come. They are not therefore forbidden in themselves, but because they are figures of unclean things, as the pig is a sign of an unclean life. And therefore the prohibition of its flesh is a sign that in the law of Christ all uncleanness is forbidden. And this is Augustine's example: this word "fatuus" can be considered according as it is a sound composed of letters, and thus it is good; or insofar as it is a sign and signifies such a thing, and thus it is bad and forbidden. Therefore the use of every creature is in itself good. The reason for this is, that if it were evil, this could not be except insofar as the Devil, after the sin of man, had received power over them: because from the moment man sinned, he received power over man, and over the things that are his. But through Christ this power has been taken away, and this is called sanctification. Hence whatever things we bless are first exorcised, and therein is a prayer expelling the Devil. And therefore he says for it is sanctified through the word of God, that is, through Christ, who sanctifies all, Jn. 17:9, and through the prayer of the faithful. Jas.: the persistent prayer of a just man avails much.”

“Forbidding to marry - These hypocritical priests pretending that a single life was much more favorable to devotion, and to the perfection of the Christian life. This sentiment was held by the Essenes, a religious sect among the Jews; and we know that it is a favourite opinion among the Romanists, who oblige all their clergy to live a single life by a vow of continency. To abstain from meats - Both among the heathens, Jews, and Romanists, certain meats were prohibited; Some always, others at particular times. This the apostle informs us was directly contrary to the original design of God; and says that those who know the truth, know this.”

“Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, &c. Here says St. Chrysostom[1] are foretold and denoted the heretics called Encratites, the Marcionites, Manicheans, &c. who condemned all marriages as evil, as may be seen in St. Irenĉus, Epiphanius, St. Augustine, Theodoret, &c. These heretics held a god who was the author of good things, and another god who was the author or cause of all evils; among the latter they reckoned, marriages, fleshmeats, wine, &c. The doctrine of Catholics is quite different, when they condemn the marriages of priests and of such as have made a vow to God to lead always a single life; or when the Church forbids persons to eat flesh in Lent, or on fasting-days, unless their health require it. We hold that marriage in itself is not only honourable, but a sacrament of divine institution. We believe and profess that the same only true God is the author of all creatures which are good of themselves; that all eatables are to be eaten with thanksgiving, and none of them to be rejected, as coming from the author of evil. When we condemn priests for marrying, it is for breaking their vows and promises made to God of living unmarried, and of leading a more perfect life; we condemn them with the Scripture, which teaches us that vows made are to be kept; with St. Paul, who in the next chap. (ver. 12) teaches us, that they who break such vows incur their damnation. When the Church, which we are commanded to obey, enjoins abstinence from flesh, or puts a restraint as to the times of eating on days of humiliation and fasting, it is by way of self-denial and mortification: so that it is not the meats, but the transgression of the precept, that on such occasions defiles the consciences of the transgressors. “You will object, (says St. Chrysostom) that we hinder persons from marrying; God forbid,” &c. St. Augustine, (lib. 30. contra Faustum. chap. vi.) “You see (says he) the great difference in abstaining from meats for mortification sake, and as if God was not the author of them.” We may observe that God, in the law of Moses, prohibited swine’s flesh and many other eatables; and that even the apostles, in the Council of Jerusalem, forbad the Christians, (at least about Antioch) to eat at that time blood and things strangled; not that they were bad of themselves, as the Manicheans pretended. (Witham) — St. Paul here speaks of the Gnostics and other ancient heretics, who absolutely condemned marriage and the use of all kind of meat, because they pretended that all flesh was from an evil principle: whereas the Church of God so far from condemning marriage, holds it to be a holy sacrament, and forbids it to none but such as by vow have chosen the better part: and prohibits not the use of any meats whatsoever, in proper times and seasons, though she does not judge all kinds of diet proper for days of fasting and penance. (Challoner) — We may see in the earliest ages[centuries] of Christianity, that some of the most infamous and impure heretics that ever went out of the Church, condemned all marriage as unlawful, at the same time allowing the most unheard of abominations: men without religion, without faith, without modesty, without honour. See St. Clement of Alexandria, lib. 3. Strom.”