Clement of Alexandria The Instructor Book II The natural use of food is then indifferent. "For neither if we eat are we the better," it is said, "nor if we eat not are we the worse."[22] Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV For it is not in the food of the belly, that we have heard good to be situated. But he has heard that"meat will not commend us,"[219] Tertullian On Fasting (finally), that so, too, does the apostle teach that "food commendeth us not to God; since we neither abound if we eat, nor lack if we eat not."[15] Origen Against Celsus Book VIII Paul also says, "Meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse."[58] Cyprian Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews Paul, in the first to the Corinthians: "Meat commendeth us not to God; neither if we eat shall we abound, nor if we eat not shall we want."[686] Origen Commentary on Matthew Book XI And the Apostle, however, knowing that it is not the nature of meats which is the cause of injury to him who uses them or of advantage to him who refrains from their use, but opinions and the reason which is in them, said, "But meat commendeth us not to God, for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we eat not are we the worse."[105] And so neither by not eating, I mean by the very fact that we do not eat of the bread which has been sanctified by the word of God and prayer, are we deprived of any good thing, nor by eating are we the better by any good thing; for the cause of our lacking is wickedness and sins, and the cause of our abounding is righteousness and right actions; so that such is the meaning of what is said by Paul, "For neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we eat not are we the worse."[139]