Reference: Love Feast
Hastings
The Love Feast of the Christian Church in Apostolic times was a common meal of which all the brethren partook, and was still connected with the Eucharist. The 'breaking of bread from house to house' (Ac 2:46) probably included both under the title 'the Lord's Supper' (1Co 11:20). From Ac 20:7 we gather that the religious exercises of the Love Feast were prolonged till dawn, and ended with the Eucharist. The scandalous behaviour, which St. Paul was constrained to rebuke at Corinth in a.d. 57
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and continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they did eat their meals with gladness, and simplicity of heart,
on the first day of the week we assembled to break bread, when Paul, who was to depart on the morrow, gave them a sermon, which lasted till midnight.
Now in what I am going to say, I do not commend you, because your assemblies are not to your advantage, but to your prejudice. for first, I hear, that when you come together in the church, you fall into parties; and I believe it is true of some of you. read more. for there must be factions among you, whereby it will appear who among you are the approved. when you thus assemble therefore, this is not eating the Lord's supper.
when you thus assemble therefore, this is not eating the Lord's supper. for in eating every one strives to take his own supper first, and while one is hungry, another is surfeited. read more. what, have you no houses to eat and drink in? or have ye a contempt for the church of God, or is it to insult those who are in want? what shall I say to you? shall I commend such behaviour? I do not approve of it. For I received it from the Lord, and I inform'd you of it: that the Lord Jesus, the night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, "take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." in the same manner he took the cup, after supper, and said, "this cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." As often then as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye make a declaration of the Lord's death till he come. so that whosoever eats this bread, and drinks this cup without respect to the Lord, does make a criminal use of the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man then sift and approve himself, and accordingly let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. for he that eats and drinks in a disrespectful manner, not discriminating the Lord's body, eateth and drinketh to his own punishment. hence it is, that many are weak and sickly among you, and no small number now sleep in their graves. for if we made such a discrimination, we should not be punished. but when we are punished, we are chastised by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. wherefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, stay for one another. and if any one is press'd with hunger, let him eat at home; that ye may not otherwise meet with punishment. as for other matters, I will set them in order when I come.
they place their felicity in daily pleasure: they are a vile scandal to religion: when they are present at your love-feasts they indulge their luxury:
they are a disgrace to your love-feasts, they indulge themselves at your festivals without reserve: clouds without water, transported with every wind: trees whose fruit soon withers and is useless, twice dead and rooted up: