But the tendency to outward manifestations now began to grow stronger. The inward and spiritnal life of the Christians had greatly declined; and if the previous bloody persecutions had driven individuals from human society into the deserts, the growing secularization of the church, after Christianity became the state religion, had the same effect to a still greater degree. All this paved the way for the chief manifes tation of A.—namely, monasticism, which the church found herself compelled by the overwhelming tide of opinion within and without to recognize, and to take it under her protection and care. See MoNAcufsm. From the African church, represented by Ter Milian and Augustine, a spirit of gloomy and crushing supernaturalism. spread deeper and deeper over the western church generally, intensifying the ascetic tendencies, and leading to still more marked separation from.a despised world. There were not want healthier minds—as Jovianus, Vigilantius, and others—to raise their voices against fasting, monkery, and the outward works of A. generally; but such protests were vain, and became ever rarer.
From the 11th c., the Cathari, Waldenses, and other sects, though ascetics themselves in a way, yet assailed the external A. of the church; the classic Petrareh fought on the same side; and so did Wickliffe, Huss, and Jerome of Prague, in their premature strug gles at reformation. After a preliminary skirmish by Erasmus, the struggle was decided in the reformation of the 16th c. The fundamental principle of that movement, that
salvation is secured by justification throngh faith, and not through dead works, struck at the root of monkery and mortification in general. But the victory has not been so complete as is often assumed. The ascetic spirit often shows itself still alive under various disguises even in Protestantism. The Mennonites inculcated a rigid A.; and with the Shakers of America, celibacy is practiced as a virtue. The essence of A. is to hold self-denial and suffering to be meritorious in the sight of God, in and for itself. without regarding whether it promotes in any way the good of others or the improve ment of the individual's own character. In this light, many traits presented by Puri tanism. Methodism, and Quakerism appear ascetic. It is not impossible that vegetari anism, total abstinence, and other recent austerities. though advocated on other grounds, recommend themselves to the feelings of many from their falling in with this deep seated propensity to A.; which seems a relic of that dread of the malignity of the invis ible and supernatural powers which haunts the human mind in an unenlightened and savage state.
Even in the famish church, ascetic practices have been modified in recent times, fastings are less rigorous, and the self-sacrifice of conventual life is more directed to beneficial ends. _Mohammedanism has undergone the same change. In the Greek church. monasticism had always a milder form.