[102]. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., book I, cent. i, part ii, ch. iii.
[103]. Mosheim, book II, cent. iv, part ii, ch. ii.
[104]. Decline and Fall (Gibbon) vol. 1, ch. xvi.
[105]. Mosheim, book II, cent. iv, part ii, ch. iii.
[106]. The above quotation is taken from the third and fourth books on "The Providence of God" by Salvian, who flourished in the 5th century, a priest of Marseilles, and one who knew whereof he wrote, as he was dealing with affairs of which he was a witness.
[107]. Book VI and VII of The Providence of God.—Salvian.
[108]. Mosheim, book III, cent. ix, part ii, chap. ii.
[109]. See Milner's introduction to the first volume of his Church History. It will also be seen in that introduction that Milner wrote his history to counteract the influence that he feared the great work of the too candid Mosheim might exert, viz., to create the impression "That real religion appears scarcely to have had any existence." Hence the admissions of Dr. Milner to the sad condition of the church in the tenth century have a peculiar significance since he would not admit its corruption unless compelled to by the facts.
[110]. This is Caesar Baronius, a Catholic historian of the 16th century. His "Annales Ecclesiastical" comprise twelve volumes and were published in Rome, 1588-1607. He was a candidate for the papacy in 1605, but failed to secure the election.
[111]. Milner's Ch. Hist., vol. iii, cent. x, ch. i. The only thing which seems to console the learned doctor in respect to this terrible condition of the church is that the scripture predicted this awful state, and the truth of scripture was "vindicated by events of all others the most disagreeable to a pious mind."—Ibid.