Xerophagiae,
or days on which they used neither flesh nor wine. [495:1] Not a few saw
the danger of this ascetic tendency; but, whilst it betokened zeal, it
had also "a show of wisdom," [495:2] and it silently made great
progress. Towards the close of the third century the whole Church was
already pervaded by its influence.

Fasting has been well described as "the outward shell" of penitential
sorrow, and is not to be confounded with its spiritual elements. It is
its accidental accompaniment, and not one of its true and essential
features. A man may "bow down his head as a bulrush," or fast, or clothe
himself in sackcloth, when he is an utter stranger to that "repentance
to salvation not to be repented of." The hypocrite may put on the
outward badges of mourning merely with a view to regain a position in
the Church, whilst the sincere penitent may "anoint his head and wash
his face," and reveal to the eye of the casual spectator no tokens of
contrition. As repentance is a spiritual exercise, it can only be
recognised by spiritual signs; and the rulers of the ancient Church
committed a capital error when they proposed to test it by certain
dietary indications. Their penitential discipline was directly opposed
to the genuine spirit of the gospel; and it was the fountain from whence
proceeded many of the superstitions which, like a river of death, soon
overspread Christendom. Whilst repentance was reduced to a mechanical
round of bodily exercises, the doctrine of a free salvation was
practically repudiated.

In connexion with the appearance of a system of penitential discipline,
involving in some cases a penance of several years' continuance, [495:3]
the distinction of venial and mortal sins now began to be recognised.
Venial sins were transgressions which any sincere believer might commit,
whilst mortal sins were such as were considered incompatible with the
genuine profession of Christianity. Penance was prescribed only to those
who had been guilty of mortal sins. Its severity and duration varied
with the character of the offence, and was soon regulated according to
an exact scale arranged by the rulers of the Church in their
ecclesiastical conventions.

About the middle of the third century a new arrangement was introduced,
with a view to promote the more exact administration of penitential
discipline. During the Decian persecution which occurred at this time,
many were induced by fear to abandon the profession of t