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。]