forthepatriarchsofAntiochandAlexandriaweretheslavesofthecaliph，andtheRomanpontiffhadwithdrawnthechurchesofItalyandtheWestfromthecommunionoftheGreeks。ThisByzantinesynodassumedtherankandpowersoftheseventhgeneralcouncil；yeteventhistitlewasarecognitionofthesixprecedingassemblies，whichhadlaboriouslybuiltthestructureoftheCatholicfaith。Afteraseriousdeliberationofsixmonths，thethreehundredandthirty—eightbishopspronouncedandsubscribedaunanimousdecree，thatallvisiblesymbolsofChrist，exceptintheEucharist，wereeitherblasphemousorheretical；thatimage—worshipwasacorruptionofChristianityandarenewalofPaganism；thatallsuchmonumentsofidolatryshouldbebrokenorerased；andthatthosewhoshouldrefusetodelivertheobjectsoftheirprivatesuperstition，wereguiltyofdisobediencetotheauthorityofthechurchandoftheemperor。
Intheirloudandloyalacclamations，theycelebratedthemeritsoftheirtemporalredeemer；andtohiszealandjusticetheyintrustedtheexecutionoftheirspiritualcensures。AtConstantinople，asintheformercouncils，thewilloftheprincewastheruleofepiscopalfaith；butonthisoccasion，Iaminclinedtosuspectthatalargemajorityoftheprelatessacrificedtheirsecretconsciencetothetemptationsofhopeandfear。Inthelongnightofsuperstition，theChristianshadwanderedfarawayfromthesimplicityofthegospel:norwasiteasyforthemtodiscerntheclew，andtreadbackthemazes，ofthelabyrinth。Theworshipofimageswasinseparablyblended，atleasttoapiousfancy，withtheCross，theVirgin，theSaintsandtheirrelics；theholygroundwasinvolvedinacloudofmiraclesandvisions；andthenervesofthemind，curiosityandscepticism，werebenumbedbythehabitsofobedienceandbelief。
Constantinehimselfisaccusedofindulgingaroyallicensetodoubt，ordeny，orderidethemysteriesoftheCatholics，^20buttheyweredeeplyinscribedinthepublicandprivatecreedofhisbishops；andtheboldestIconoclastmightassaultwithasecrethorrorthemonumentsofpopulardevotion，whichwereconsecratedtothehonorofhiscelestialpatrons。Inthereformationofthesixteenthcentury，freedomandknowledgehadexpandedallthefacultiesofman:thethirstofinnovationsupersededthereverenceofantiquity；andthevigorofEuropecoulddisdainthosephantomswhichterrifiedthesicklyandservileweaknessoftheGreeks。
[Footnote18:Ouroriginal，butnotimpartial，monumentsoftheIconoclastsmustbedrawnfromtheActsoftheCouncils，tom。
viii。andix。Collect。Labbe，edit。Venet。andthehistoricalwritingsofTheophanes，Nicephorus，Manasses，Cedrenus，Zonoras，&c。OfthemodernCatholics，Baronius，Pagi，NatalisAlexander，Hist。Eccles。Seculumviii。andix。，andMaimbourg，Hist。desIconoclasts，havetreatedthesubjectwithlearning，passion，andcredulity。TheProtestantlaborsofFrederickSpanheimHistoriaImaginumrestitutaandJamesBasnageHist。desEglisesReformees，tom。ii。l。xxiiii。p。1339—1385arecastintotheIconoclastscale。Withthismutualaid，andoppositetendency，itiseasyforustopoisethebalancewithphilosophicindifference。
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