The beginning of this fuperftitious respect for the martyrs feems to have been at the death of Polycarp, and in forty years afterwards it had degenerated into this grofs fuperftition. For Tertullian fays, "We make oblations for the "dead, and for their martyrdom on certain days "yearly."

Afterwards this respect paid to martyrs and confeffors, or those who having been doomed to death happened to be releafed, exceeded all bounds, and in many respects did unspeakable. mifchief to the church. Nothing was esteemed more glorious than what they called the crown of martyrdom; and on the anniversary festivals inftituted to the honour of each martyr, their memories were celebrated with panegyrical orations. In their prisons they were vifited by christians of all ranks, proud to minister to them in the very lowest offices, and to kifs their chains; and if they happened to escape with life from their torture, their authority was ever after moft highly respected in the decifion of all controversies, in abfolving perfons from the ordinary difcipline of the church, and restoring them to communion on whatever terms they thought fit.

As it happened that fome of these confeffors were not men of the best moral character, at

* Pierce's Vindication, p. 515,

leaft

least became corrupted, in confequence, perhaps, of the superstitious respect with which they were every were received, Cyprian makes heavy complaints of relaxation of church difcipline by this means. They were often exceedingly diffolute themselves, and screened the vices of others.

The refpect paid to martyrs was gradually extended, in fome degree, to others, who also were confidered after their deaths as those who had triumphed over the world, and were gone to receive the prize for which they had contended. In imitation of carrying in triumph those who won the prizes in the Grecian games, chriftians interred their dead with finging of pfalms, and lighted tapers. "Tell me," fays Chryfoftom, "what means the lamps lighted at "funerals? Is it not because we accompany the "dead, as fo many magnanimous champions? "What mean the hymns? Is it not because we glorify God, and render thanks to him, that he "has already crowned the deceased, delivering " him from all his toil and labour.*"

As these feftivals on the anniversaries of the martyrs were not in general use till long after the death of the most eminent of them, and particularly of all the apostles and their cotemporaries, it was impoffible to fix the dates of them

* In Heb. Cap. ii. Hom. iv. Opera, vol, *. p. 1784.

except by conjecture; and we presently find that advantage was taken of this circumftance to appoint their celebration on those days which had been appropriated to pagan festivals. And as the christians of that age, introduced every mark of festivity on these occasions, that the heathens had been accustomed to in their former worship, there was no change but in the object of it; fo that the common people, finding the fame entertainment at the ufual times and places, they were more easily induced to forfake their old religion, and to adopt the new one, which fo much resembled it, and especially in the very things which had kept them attached to the old

This circumftance would have growing weight in the time of the chriftian emperors, when the chriftian feftival becoming more popular, would be attended by greater numbers, which would add confiderably to the entertainment. This was, indeed, the avowed design of placing the feftivals as they did; and Gregory Thaumaturgus, who lived in the third century is particularly commended by Gregory Nyffenus for thus changing the pagan feftivals into chriftian holidays, allowing the fame carnal indulgences, with a view to draw the heathens to the religion of Chrift, that the new religion might appear lefs ftrange to them*.

As the chriftians had been used to meet, for the purpose of public worship, at the tombs of * Opera, vol. ii. p. 1006.

the

the martyrs; when the empire became chriftian they sometimes erected magnificent buildings on those places, and fuch churches were faid to be built to their honour, and were diftinguished by their names, as they continue to be to this day; and when they had not the martyrs themselves to bury there, at least they got fome of their relics. And when most of the churches were distinguished in this manner, it was the cuftom to give names to others merely in honour of particular faints, angels, &c. Thus we have churches dedicated to St. Michael, to Christ, and the Trinity. In this manner by degrees, each remarkable faint had his proper temple, juft as the heathen gods and heroes had theirs. This practice was approved by the greatest men of that age. Eufebius in effect fays, Why should we not pay the same regard to our faints and martyrs, that the Pagans paid to their heroes *.

* Jortin, vol. iii. p. 146.

SECTION

SECTION I. PART II.

Of Pictures and Images in Churches.

TEMPLES being now built in honour of particular faints, and efpecially the martyrs, it was natural to ornament them with paintings and fculptures representing the great exploits of fuch faints and martyrs; and this was a circumstance that made the chriftian churches ftill more like the heathen temples, which were also adorned with ftatues and pictures; and this also would tend to draw the ignorant multitude to the new worship, making the transition the easier.

Paulinus, a convert from paganism, a person of fenatorial rank, celebrated for his parts and learning, and who died afterwards bishop of Nola in Italy, diftinguished himself in this way. He rebuilt, in a fplendid manner, his own epifcopal church, dedicated to Felix the martyr, and in the porticoes of it, he had painted the miracles of Mofes and of Chrift, together with the acts of Felix and of other martyrs, whose relics were deposited in it. This, he fays, was done with a defign to draw the rude multitude, habituated to the profane rights of paganism, to a knowledge

and