A history of antient ceremonies containing an account of their rise and growth, their first entrance into the Church, and their gradual advancement to superstition therein.

Anno 450. &c.

IT hath been already observed, when, how, and by what degrees the publick Confession of Penitents, was changed into a private one, in the Greek Church only: But about the year 450. the same altera∣tion

did likewise befall the Western Churches, which had ever till then re∣tained the use of publick Confession.

Christian liberty also in matter of Fasts, was maintained, till about this time: The Doctors that flourished in this age, having taught, that Christ never commanded 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to imitate his Fast of forty days; that Fast∣ing is the last and lowest of vertues; that true Fasting consists in abstinency from sin; that Fasting indeed is commanded in the Scriptures, but as touching the particular days of Fasting, nor Christ, nor his Apo∣stles did ever enact any Ordinance; that it is matter of freedom and indifferency to fast upon some certain Days; that the choice and distinction of meats is not matter of Religion, &c. We have likewise seen how that Fasts were diversly obser∣ved, both as to their time and manner, and that they abstained not only from flesh, but from Wine also; and we may yet fur∣ther observe, how much the Fasts of the first differed from those of modern ages▪ in that the Lent of the ancients did ever begin upon the Sabbath, which followed immediately upon that of Whitsuntide: But the liberty of the Church herein was through the Laws of new Councils, and

multiplicity of Fasts at length suppressed: For Leo I. Bishop of Rome, did about the year 460. ordain the observance of four Solemn anniversary Fasts; namely, Lent, Whitsuntide, the seventh, and tenth Months; not denying, but that the two last were in imitation of Judaisme. There be some Authors, who speaking of the Fast of the four times (or four Weeks of Ember or Imber-days) and of the Institution there∣of, give this reason for the same: Pope Gelasius had decreed, that the Ordination of Priests and Deacons should be perfor∣med upon those Days; now for as much as that action was after the example of the Primitive Church, (Acts 13. & 14.) ma∣naged with Fasting and publick Prayer, the Fast of the four times was hereupon introduced; and notwithstanding those Ordinations were not performed any more at that time, yet was the custome of of Fasting afterwards continued: In like manner, as touching the Vigils of Saints, the name indeed was retained, but the use of them quite changed; for the Wakes up∣on the Night preceding the solemnity of any Saint, were turned into Fasts, howbeit the name of Vigil remained. The Fast of Rogations came to pass soon after, for there

happening in several places in Lyonoise in France, divers Earth-quakes Conflagrati∣ons, and many dangers incur'd through wild Beasts; those publick calamities mo∣ved Mamert Bishop of Vienne in Daulphi∣noise, to ordain, that upon some certain Days every year, there should be publick Prayers made with Fasting, and acts of repentance: Thus were the Rogations in∣stituted, which reached even to Forreign Provinces, as we shall see streight.

Notes

• Chrysost. in Matth. h••m. 47. Cyril. in Levitic. hom. 10. Aug. E∣pist. 80. & 118.
• Ambros. serm. 34:
• Serm 4. de Iejun. septini mensis.