butthepublicreligionoftheCatholicswasuniformlysimpleandspiritual；andthefirstnoticeoftheuseofpicturesisinthecensureofthecouncilofIlliberis，threehundredyearsaftertheChristianaera。UnderthesuccessorsofConstantine，inthepeaceandluxuryofthetriumphantchurch，themoreprudentbishopscondescendedtoindulgeavisiblesuperstition，forthebenefitofthemultitude；and，aftertheruinofPaganism，theywerenolongerrestrainedbytheapprehensionofanodiousparallel。Thefirstintroductionofasymbolicworshipwasinthevenerationofthecross，andofrelics。Thesaintsandmartyrs，whoseintercessionwasimplored，wereseatedontherighthandifGod；butthegraciousandoftensupernaturalfavors，which，inthepopularbelief，wereshoweredroundtheirtomb，conveyedanunquestionablesanctionofthedevoutpilgrims，whovisited，andtouched，andkissedtheselifelessremains，thememorialsoftheirmeritsandsufferings。^4Butamemorial，moreinterestingthantheskullorthesandalsofadepartedworthy，isthefaithfulcopyofhispersonandfeatures，delineatedbytheartsofpaintingorsculpture。Ineveryage，suchcopies，socongenialtohumanfeelings，havebeencherishedbythezealofprivatefriendship，orpublicesteem:theimagesoftheRomanemperorswereadoredwithcivil，andalmostreligious，honors；areverencelessostentatious，butmoresincere，wasappliedtothestatuesofsagesandpatriots；andtheseprofanevirtues，thesesplendidsins，disappearedinthepresenceoftheholymen，whohaddiedfortheircelestialandeverlastingcountry。Atfirst，theexperimentwasmadewithcautionandscruple；andthevenerablepictureswerediscreetlyallowedtoinstructtheignorant，toawakenthecold，andtogratifytheprejudicesoftheheathenproselytes。Byaslowthoughinevitableprogression，thehonorsoftheoriginalweretransferredtothecopy:thedevoutChristianprayedbeforetheimageofasaint；andthePaganritesofgenuflection，luminaries，andincense，againstoleintotheCatholicchurch。Thescruplesofreason，orpiety，weresilencedbythestrongevidenceofvisionsandmiracles；andthepictureswhichspeak，andmove，andbleed，mustbeendowedwithadivineenergy，andmaybeconsideredastheproperobjectsofreligiousadoration。Themostaudaciouspencilmighttrembleintherashattemptofdefining，byformsandcolors，theinfiniteSpirit，theeternalFather，whopervadesandsustainstheuniverse。^5Butthesuperstitiousmindwasmoreeasilyreconciledtopaintandtoworshiptheangels，and，aboveall，theSonofGod，underthehumanshape，which，onearth，theyhavecondescendedtoassume。ThesecondpersonoftheTrinityhadbeenclothedwitharealandmortalbody；butthatbodyhadascendedintoheaven:and，hadnotsomesimilitudebeenpresentedtotheeyesofhisdisciples，thespiritualworshipofChristmighthavebeenobliteratedbythevisiblerelicsandrepresentationsofthesaints。AsimilarindulgencewasrequisiteandpropitiousfortheVirginMary:theplaceofherburialwasunknown；andtheassumptionofhersoulandbodyintoheavenwasadoptedbythecredulityoftheGreeksandLatins。
Theuse，andeventheworship，ofimageswasfirmlyestablishedbeforetheendofthesixthcentury:theywerefondlycherishedbythewarmimaginationoftheGreeksandAsiatics:thePantheonandVaticanwereadornedwiththeemblemsofanewsuperstition；
butthissemblanceofidolatrywasmorecoldlyentertainedbytherudeBarbariansandtheArianclergyoftheWest。Thebolderformsofsculpture，inbrassormarble，whichpeopledthetemplesofantiquity，wereoffensivetothefancyorconscienceoftheChristianGreeks:andasmoothsurfaceofcolorshaseverbeenesteemedamoredecentandharmlessmodeofimitation。^6
[Footnote2:Necintelligunthominesineptissimi，quodsisentiresimulacraetmoveripossent，adoraturahominemfuissentaquosuntexpolita。Divin。Institut。l。ii。c。2。Lactantiusisthelast，aswellasthemosteloquent，oftheLatinapologists。
Theirrailleryofidolsattacksnotonlytheobject，buttheformandmatter。]
[Footnote3:SeeIrenaeus，Epiphanius，andAugustin，Basnage，Hist。desEglisesReformees，tom。ii。p。1313。ThisGnosticpracticehasasingularaffinitywiththeprivateworshipofAlexanderSeverus，Lampridius，c。29。Lardner，HeathenTestimonies，vol。iii。p。34。]
[Footnote4:SeethisHistory，vol。ii。p。261；vol。ii。p。434；
vol。iii。p。158—163。]
[Footnote5:ConciliumNicenum，ii。inCollect。Labb。tom。viii。
p。1025，edit。Venet。Ilseroitpeut—etrea—proposdenepointsouffrird'imagesdelaTriniteoudelaDivinite；lesdefenseurslespluszelesdesimagesayantcondamnecelles—ci，etleconciledeTrenteneparlantquedesimagesdeJesusChristetdesSaints，Dupin，Bibliot。Eccles。tom。vi。p。154。]
[Footnote6:ThisgeneralhistoryofimagesisdrawnfromthexxiidbookoftheHist。desEglisesReformeesofBasnage，tom。
ii。p。1310—1337。HewasaProtestant，butofamanlyspirit；
andonthisheadtheProtestantsaresonotoriouslyintheright，thattheycanventuretobeimpartial。SeetheperplexityofpoorFriarPagi，Critica，tom。i。p。42。]
Themeritandeffectofacopydependsonitsresemblancewiththeoriginal；buttheprimitiveChristianswereignorantofthegenuinefeaturesoftheSonofGod，hismother，andhisapostles:thestatueofChristatPaneasinPalestine^7wasmoreprobablythatofsometemporalsavior；theGnosticsandtheirprofanemonumentswerereprobated；andthefancyoftheChristianartistscouldonlybeguidedbytheclandestineimitationofsomeheathenmodel。Inthisdistress，aboldanddexterousinventionassuredatoncethelikenessoftheimageandtheinnocenceoftheworship。AnewsuperstructureoffablewasraisedonthepopularbasisofaSyrianlegend，onthecorrespondenceofChristandAbgarus，sofamousinthedaysofEusebius，soreluctantlydesertedbyourmodernadvocates。ThebishopofCaesarea^8
recordstheepistle，^9buthemoststrangelyforgetsthepictureofChrist；^10theperfectimpressionofhisfaceonalinen，withwhichhegratifiedthefaithoftheroyalstrangerwhohadinvokedhishealingpower，andofferedthestrongcityofEdessatoprotecthimagainstthemaliceoftheJews。Theignoranceoftheprimitivechurchisexplainedbythelongimprisonmentoftheimageinanicheofthewall，fromwhence，afteranoblivionoffivehundredyears，itwasreleasedbysomeprudentbishop，andseasonablypresentedtothedevotionofthetimes。ItsfirstandmostgloriousexploitwasthedeliveranceofthecityfromthearmsofChosroesNushirvan；anditwassoonreveredasapledgeofthedivinepromise，thatEdessashouldneverbetakenbyaforeignenemy。Itistrue，indeed，thatthetextofProcopiusascribesthedoubledeliveranceofEdessatothewealthandvalorofhercitizens，whopurchasedtheabsenceandrepelledtheassaultsofthePersianmonarch。Hewasignorant，theprofanehistorian，ofthetestimonywhichheiscompelledtodeliverintheecclesiasticalpageofEvagrius，thatthePalladiumwasexposedontherampart，andthatthewaterwhichhadbeensprinkledontheholyface，insteadofquenching，addednewfueltotheflamesofthebesieged。Afterthisimportantservice，theimageofEdessawaspreservedwithrespectandgratitude；andiftheArmeniansrejectedthelegend，themorecredulousGreeksadoredthesimilitude，whichwasnottheworkofanymortalpencil，buttheimmediatecreationofthedivineoriginal。ThestyleandsentimentsofaByzantinehymnwilldeclarehowfartheirworshipwasremovedfromthegrossestidolatry。"Howcanwewithmortaleyescontemplatethisimage，whosecelestialsplendorthehostofheavenpresumesnottobehold?Hewhodwellsinheaven，condescendsthisdaytovisitusbyhisvenerableimage；Hewhoisseatedonthecherubim，visitsusthisdaybyapicture，whichtheFatherhasdelineatedwithhisimmaculatehand，whichhehasformedinanineffablemanner，andwhichwesanctifybyadoringitwithfearandlove。"Beforetheendofthesixthcentury，theseimages，madewithouthands，inGreekitisasingleword，^11werepropagatedinthecampsandcitiesoftheEasternempire:^12theyweretheobjectsofworship，andtheinstrumentsofmiracles；andinthehourofdangerortumult，theirvenerablepresencecouldrevivethehope，rekindlethecourage，orrepressthefury，oftheRomanlegions。
Ofthesepictures，thefargreaterpart，thetranscriptsofahumanpencil，couldonlypretendtoasecondarylikenessandimpropertitle:butthereweresomeofhigherdescent，whoderivedtheirresemblancefromanimmediatecontactwiththeoriginal，endowed，forthatpurpose，withamiraculousandprolificvirtue。ThemostambitiousaspiredfromafilialtoafraternalrelationwiththeimageofEdessa；andsuchistheveronicaofRome，orSpain，orJerusalem，whichChristinhisagonyandbloodysweatappliedtohisface，anddeliveredtoaholymatron。ThefruitfulprecedentwasspeedilytransferredtotheVirginMary，andthesaintsandmartyrs。InthechurchofDiospolis，inPalestine，thefeaturesoftheMotherofGod^13
weredeeplyinscribedinamarblecolumn；theEastandWesthavebeendecoratedbythepencilofSt。Luke；andtheEvangelist，whowasperhapsaphysician，hasbeenforcedtoexercisetheoccupationofapainter，soprofaneandodiousintheeyesoftheprimitiveChristians。TheOlympianJove，createdbythemuseofHomerandthechiselofPhidias，mightinspireaphilosophicmindwithmomentarydevotion；buttheseCatholicimageswerefaintlyandflatlydelineatedbymonkishartistsinthelastdegeneracyoftasteandgenius。^14
[Footnote7:Afterremovingsomerubbishofmiracleandinconsistency，itmaybeallowed，thataslateastheyear300，PaneasinPalestinewasdecoratedwithabronzestatue，representingagravepersonagewrappedinacloak，withagratefulorsuppliantfemalekneelingbeforehim，andthataninscriptionwasperhapsinscribedonthepedestal。BytheChristians，thisgroupwasfoolishlyexplainedoftheirfounderandthepoorwomanwhomhehadcuredofthebloodyflux，Euseb。
vii。18，Philostorg。vii。3，&c。M。deBeausobremorereasonablyconjecturesthephilosopherApollonius，ortheemperorVespasian:
inthelattersupposition，thefemaleisacity，aprovince，orperhapsthequeenBerenice，BibliothequeGermanique，tom。xiii。
p。1—92。]
[Footnote8:Euseb。Hist。Eccles。l。i。c。13。ThelearnedAssemannushasbroughtupthecollateralaidofthreeSyrians，St。Ephrem，JosuaStylites，andJamesbishopofSarug；butIdonotfindanynoticeoftheSyriacoriginalorthearchivesofEdessa，Bibliot。Orient。tom。i。p。318，420，554；theirvaguebeliefisprobablyderivedfromtheGreeks。]
[Footnote9:TheevidencefortheseepistlesisstatedandrejectedbythecandidLardner，HeathenTestimonies，vol。i。p。
297—309。Amongtheherdofbigotswhoareforciblydrivenfromthisconvenient，butuntenable，post，Iamashamed，withtheGrabes，Caves，Tillemonts，&c。，todiscoverMr。Addison，anEnglishgentleman，hisWorks，vol。i。p。528，Baskerville'sedition；buthissuperficialtractontheChristianreligionowesitscredittohisname，hisstyle，andtheinterestedapplauseofourclergy。]
[Footnote10:FromthesilenceofJamesofSarug，Asseman。
Bibliot。Orient。p。289，318，andthetestimonyofEvagrius，Hist。Eccles。l。iv。c。27，Iconcludethatthisfablewasinventedbetweentheyears521and594，mostprobablyafterthesiegeofEdessain540，Asseman。tom。i。p。416。Procopius，deBell。Persic。l。ii。Itistheswordandbucklerof，GregoryII。，inEpist。i。ad。Leon。Isaur。Concil。tom。viii。p。656，657，ofJohnDamascenus，Opera，tom。i。p。281，edit。Lequien，
andofthesecondNiceneCouncil，Actiov。p。1030。ThemostperfecteditionmaybefoundinCedrenus，Compend。p。175—
178。]
[Footnote11:SeeDucange，inGloss。Graec。etLat。ThesubjectistreatedwithequallearningandbigotrybytheJesuitGretser，SyntagmadeImaginibusnonManufactis，adcalcemCodinideOfficiis，p。289—330，theass，orratherthefox，ofIngoldstadt，seetheScaligerana；withequalreasonandwitbytheProtestantBeausobre，intheironicalcontroversywhichhehasspreadthroughmanyvolumesoftheBibliothequeGermanique，tom。xviii。p。1—50，xx。p。27—68，xxv。p。1—36，xxvii。p。
85—118，xxviii。p。1—33，xxxi。p。111—148，xxxii。p。75—
107，xxxiv。p。67—96。]
[Footnote12:TheophylactSimocattal。ii。c。3，p。34，l。iii。
c。1，p。63celebratesit；yetitwasnomorethanacopy，sinceheaddsofEdessa。SeePagi，tom。ii。A。D。588No。11。]
[Footnote13:See，inthegenuineorsupposedworksofJohnDamascenus，twopassagesontheVirginandSt。Luke，whichhavenotbeennoticedbyGretser，norconsequentlybyBeausobre，OperaJoh。Damascen。tom。i。p。618，631。]
[Footnote14:"Yourscandalousfiguresstandquiteoutfromthecanvass:theyareasbadasagroupofstatues!"ItwasthusthattheignoranceandbigotryofaGreekpriestapplaudedthepicturesofTitian，whichhehadordered，andrefusedtoaccept。]
Theworshipofimageshadstolenintothechurchbyinsensibledegrees，andeachpettystepwaspleasingtothesuperstitiousmind，asproductiveofcomfort，andinnocentofsin。Butinthebeginningoftheeighthcentury，inthefullmagnitudeoftheabuse，themoretimorousGreekswereawakenedbyanapprehension，thatunderthemaskofChristianity，theyhadrestoredthereligionoftheirfathers:theyheard，withgriefandimpatience，thenameofidolaters；theincessantchargeoftheJewsandMahometans，^15whoderivedfromtheLawandtheKorananimmortalhatredtogravenimagesandallrelativeworship。TheservitudeoftheJewsmightcurbtheirzeal，anddepreciatetheirauthority；butthetriumphantMussulmans，whoreignedatDamascus，andthreatenedConstantinople，castintothescaleofreproachtheaccumulatedweightoftruthandvictory。
ThecitiesofSyria，Palestine，andEgypthadbeenfortifiedwiththeimagesofChrist，hismother，andhissaints；andeachcitypresumedonthehopeorpromiseofmiraculousdefence。Inarapidconquestoftenyears，theArabssubduedthosecitiesandtheseimages；and，intheiropinion，theLordofHostspronouncedadecisivejudgmentbetweentheadorationandcontemptofthesemuteandinanimateidols。ForawhileEdessahadbravedthePersianassaults；butthechosencity，thespouseofChrist，wasinvolvedinthecommonruin；andhisdivineresemblancebecametheslaveandtrophyoftheinfidels。Afteraservitudeofthreehundredyears，thePalladiumwasyieldedtothedevotionofConstantinople，foraransomoftwelvethousandpoundsofsilver，theredemptionoftwohundredMussulmans，andaperpetualtrucefortheterritoryofEdessa。^16Inthisseasonofdistressanddismay，theeloquenceofthemonkswasexercisedinthedefenceofimages；andtheyattemptedtoprove，thatthesinandschismofthegreatestpartoftheOrientalshadforfeitedthefavor，andannihilatedthevirtue，oftheseprecioussymbols。ButtheywerenowopposedbythemurmursofmanysimpleorrationalChristians，whoappealedtotheevidenceoftexts，offacts，andoftheprimitivetimes，andsecretlydesiredthereformationofthechurch。Astheworshipofimageshadneverbeenestablishedbyanygeneralorpositivelaw，itsprogressintheEasternempirehadbeenretarded，oraccelerated，bythedifferencesofmenandmanners，thelocaldegreesofrefinement，andthepersonalcharactersofthebishops。Thesplendiddevotionwasfondlycherishedbythelevityofthecapital，andtheinventivegeniusoftheByzantineclergy；whiletherudeandremotedistrictsofAsiawerestrangerstothisinnovationofsacredluxury。ManylargecongregationsofGnosticsandAriansmaintained，aftertheirconversion，thesimpleworshipwhichhadprecededtheirseparation；andtheArmenians，themostwarlikesubjectsofRome，werenotreconciled，inthetwelfthcentury，tothesightofimages。^17Thesevariousdenominationsofmenaffordedafundofprejudiceandaversion，ofsmallaccountinthevillagesofAnatoliaorThrace，butwhich，inthefortuneofasoldier，aprelate，oraeunuch，mightbeoftenconnectedwiththepowersofthechurchandstate。
[Footnote15:ByCedrenus，Zonaras，Glycas，andManasses，theoriginoftheAconoclcastsisimprintedtothecaliphYezidandtwoJews，whopromisedtheempiretoLeo；andthereproachesofthesehostilesectariesareturnedintoanabsurdconspiracyforrestoringthepurityoftheChristianworship，seeSpanheim，Hist。Imag。c。2。]
[Footnote*:Yezid，ninthcaliphoftheraceoftheOmmiadae，causedalltheimagesinSyriatobedestroyedabouttheyear719；hencetheorthodoxreproachesthesectarieswithfollowingtheexampleoftheSaracensandtheJewsFragm。Mon。Johan。
Jerosylym。Script。Byzant。vol。xvi。p。235。Hist。desRepub。
Ital。parM。Sismondi，vol。i。p。126。—G。]
[Footnote16:SeeElmacin，Hist。Saracen。p。267，
Abulpharagius，Dynast。p。201，andAbulfeda，Annal。Moslem。p。
264，，andthecriticismsofPagi，tom。iii。A。D。944。TheprudentFranciscanrefusestodeterminewhethertheimageofEdessanowreposesatRomeorGenoa；butitsreposeisinglorious，andthisancientobjectofworshipisnolongerfamousorfashionable。]
[Footnote17:Nicetas，l。ii。p。258。TheArmenianchurchesarestillcontentwiththeCross，MissionsduLevant，tom。iii。p。
148；butsurelythesuperstitiousGreekisunjusttothesuperstitionoftheGermansofthexiithcentury。]
Ofsuchadventurers，themostfortunatewastheemperorLeotheThird，^18who，fromthemountainsofIsauria，ascendedthethroneoftheEast。Hewasignorantofsacredandprofaneletters；buthiseducation，hisreason，perhapshisintercoursewiththeJewsandArabs，hadinspiredthemartialpeasantwithahatredofimages；anditwasheldtobethedutyofaprincetoimposeonhissubjectsthedictatesofhisownconscience。Butintheoutsetofanunsettledreign，duringtenyearsoftoilanddanger，Leosubmittedtothemeannessofhypocrisy，bowedbeforetheidolswhichhedespised，andsatisfiedtheRomanpontiffwiththeannualprofessionsofhisorthodoxyandzeal。Inthereformationofreligion，hisfirststepsweremoderateandcautious:heassembledagreatcouncilofsenatorsandbishops，andenacted，withtheirconsent，thatalltheimagesshouldberemovedfromthesanctuaryandaltartoaproperheightinthechurcheswheretheymightbevisibletotheeyes，andinaccessibletothesuperstition，ofthepeople。Butitwasimpossibleoneithersidetochecktherapidthroughadverseimpulseofvenerationandabhorrence:intheirloftyposition，thesacredimagesstilledifiedtheirvotaries，andreproachedthetyrant。Hewashimselfprovokedbyresistanceandinvective；
andhisownpartyaccusedhimofanimperfectdischargeofhisduty，andurgedforhisimitationtheexampleoftheJewishking，whohadbrokenwithoutscruplethebrazenserpentofthetemple。
Byasecondedict，heproscribedtheexistenceaswellastheuseofreligiouspictures；thechurchesofConstantinopleandtheprovinceswerecleansedfromidolatry；theimagesofChrist，theVirgin，andthesaints，weredemolished，orasmoothsurfaceofplasterwasspreadoverthewallsoftheedifice。ThesectoftheIconoclastswassupportedbythezealanddespotismofsixemperors，andtheEastandWestwereinvolvedinanoisyconflictofonehundredandtwentyyears。ItwasthedesignofLeotheIsauriantopronouncethecondemnationofimagesasanarticleoffaith，andbytheauthorityofageneralcouncil:buttheconvocationofsuchanassemblywasreservedforhissonConstantine；^19andthoughitisstigmatizedbytriumphantbigotryasameetingoffoolsandatheists，theirownpartialandmutilatedactsbetraymanysymptomsofreasonandpiety。ThedebatesanddecreesofmanyprovincialsynodsintroducedthesummonsofthegeneralcouncilwhichmetinthesuburbsofConstantinople，andwascomposedoftherespectablenumberofthreehundredandthirty—eightbishopsofEuropeandAnatolia；