* These are not mere conjectures—­they are intimated by St. Jude, when he declares the schismatics of his day “have gone in the way of Cain and Core.”  Core, or Korah, certainly attempted to change a divine order by which the functions of the priesthood were appropriated to the family of Aaron.  And the schismatics, who were contemporary with the apostles, set themselves up for teachers in the church without a regular, or supernal call to the ministry.  These went in the way of Cain.  His sin must therefore have been a departure from divine institutions.

Not many ages after the deluge idolatry was introduced into the world, and corrupted and spoiled the worship of God.  This seems to have been, at first, a design to improve on the homage which was paid to the true God.

Adoration offered to other than God, is idolatry.  This is of two kinds—­that offered to angels, and departed spirits, and that offered to the heavenly bodies and to images.  The former is said to have been originally designed to engage those to whom it was addressed to act the part of mediators with God.  The heavenly bodies were adored as the supposed residences of Deity.  Image worship was intended to help devotion.  It was thought that visible representations would serve to impress a reverence for the objects of worship on the mind, and solemnize the heart.  With this view, images and paintings were introduced into temples and places of worship.  They appeared to have effect.  The worshippers seemed more devout.  A happy discovery, which had not occurred to Omniscience!

To increase the good effects, further improvements were suggested.  Images were made of the precious metals, and enriched with gems and costly attire, and art was exhausted to embellish them.  They were also consecrated with magnificent and solemn rites.  After consecration, the celestials to whom they dedicated, were supposed to descend and dwell in them, and thus to be present with their worshippers, to hear their prayers, witness their gratitude, and smell a sweet savor in their sacrifices.  And as temples were built, and images consecrated chiefly to inferior deities, who were worshipped as mediators, the homage which was paid to them was suited to the conceptions which the worshippers entertained of the objects of their worship; and being mostly taken from among men, the offerings were adapted to the characters which they had respectively sustained while resident in the body.  Hence the homage paid to Baal, Moloch, Mars, Bacchus, Venus and others.  Thus every abomination was sanctioned, and made an object of religion!