he and all his, straightway." But, soon, afterwards, the
Christian teachers began to proceed with greater formality; and, about
the middle of the second century, candidates were not admitted to the
ordinance until they had passed through a certain course of probation.
"As many," says Justin Martyr, "as are persuaded and believe that the
things which we teach and declare are true, and promise that they are
determined to live accordingly, are taught to pray, and to beseech God
with fasting to grant them remission of their past sins, while we also
pray and fast with them. We then lead them to a place where there is
water, and there they are regenerated in the same manner as we also
were; for they are then washed in that water in the name of God the
Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and
the Holy Spirit." [493:2]

These confessions and penitential exercises were repeated and enlarged
when persons who had lapsed into gross sin, and who had, in consequence,
forfeited their position as members of the Church, sought readmission to
ecclesiastical fellowship. It would be difficult, on scriptural grounds,
to vindicate the system of discipline enforced on such occasions; and
yet it is evident that it was established, at least in some quarters, as
early as the beginning of the third century. Tertullian gives a very
striking account of the course pursued by those called penitents about
that period. "Confession of sins," says he, "lightens their burden, as
much as the dissembling of them increases it; for confession savours of
making amends, dissembling, of stubbornness. ..... Wherefore confession
is the discipline of a man's prostrating and humbling himself, enjoining
such a conversation as invites mercy. It restrains a man even as to the
matter of dress and food, requiring him to lie in sackcloth and ashes,
to hide his body in filthy garments, to afflict his soul with sorrow, to
exchange for severe treatment the sins in which he indulged; for the
rest to use simple things for meat and drink, that is, for the sake of
the soul, and not to please the appetite: for the most part also to
quicken prayer by fasts, to groan, to weep, and to moan day and night
before the Lord his God; to throw himself on the ground before the
presbyters, and to fall on his knees before the beloved of God; to
enjoin all the brethren to bear the message of his prayer for mercy--all
these things does confession that it may commend