If so, then neither art thou of the prayer. Thou hearest the herald,210 standing, and saying, “As many as are in penitence, all pray.”211 As many as do not partake, are in penitence. If thou art one of those that are in penitence, thou oughtest not to partake; for he that partakes not, is one of those that are in penitence. Why then does he say, “Depart, ye that are not qualified to pray,” whilst thou hast the effrontery to stand still? But no, thou art not of that number, thou art of the number of those who are qualified to partake, and yet art indifferent about it, and regardest the matter as nothing. Look, I entreat: a royal table is set before you, Angels minister at that table, the King Himself is there, and dost thou stand gaping?212 Are thy garments defiled, and yet dost thou make no account of it?—or are they clean? Then fall down and partake. Every day He cometh in to see the guests, and converseth with them all. Yes, at this moment is he speaking to your conscience; “Friends, how stand ye here, not having on a wedding garment?” He said not, Why didst thou sit down? no, before he sat down, He declared him to be unworthy, so much as to come in. He saith not, “Why didst thou sit down to meat,” but, “Why camest thou in?” And these are the words that He is at this very moment addressing to one and all of us that stand here with such shameless effrontery. For every one, that partaketh not of the mysteries, is standing here in shameless effrontery. It is for this reason, that they which are in sins are first of all put forth; for just as when a master is present at his table, it is not right that those servants who have offended him should be present, but they are sent out of the way: just so also here when the sacrifice is brought forth, and Christ, the Lord’s sheep, is sacrificed; when thou hearest the words, “Let us pray together,” when thou beholdest the curtains drawn up,213 then imagine that the Heavens are let down from above, and that the Angels are descending! As then it is not meet that any one of the uninitiated be present, so neither is it that one of them that are initiated, and yet at the same time defiled. Tell me, suppose any one were invited to a feast, and were to wash his hands, and sit down, and be all ready at the table, 210 i.e. the Deacon, Αθανάσιος προστάξας διακόνῳ κηρύξαι εὐχὴν κ. τ. λ. Socr. Hist. ii. 11. id qu. ἀναγινώσκειν, Athan. de fug 24. 211 Vid. Bingh. Antiqu. xiii. 2. and xiv. 5. [The text here seems to be corrupt, Field’s text is, “as many as are in penitence, all pray,” (δεήθητε πάντες) which is evidently inconsistent with the context. The text should probably be, “As many as are in penitence, depart; as many as are not in penitence, pray all.” So Field suggests in a note saying, Locus corruptus videtur, sic fortasse redintegrandus: ὅσοι ἐν μετανοί& 139· ἀπέλθετε, ὅσοιμὴ ἐν μετανόιᾳ δεήθητε πάντες.—G.A.] 212 Vid. Bingh. Antiqu. xv. 2. 213 ἀμφιθυρα, curtains before the choir or altar, vid. Chrysost. in Matt. Hom. 84. fin. where, however, it has not the ecclesiastical sense, Epiphan. Epist. 51. 9. apud Hieron, ed. Vallars. where the curtain had a figure of Christ or some Saint, (to which Epiphanius objects) vid. also Evagr. Hist. vi. 21. 123 Ephesians 1:15-20