The palaces of popes and prelates were scenes of the vilest debauchery . Some of the reigning pontiffs were guilty of crimes so revolting that secular rulers endeavoured to depose these dignitaries of the church as monsters too vile to be tolerated . For centuries Europe had made no progress in learning , arts , or civilization . A moral and intellectual paralysis had fallen upon Christendom . The condition of the world under the Romish power presented a fearful and striking fulfillment of the words of the prophet Hosea : " My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge : because thou hast rejected knowledge , I will also reject thee : . . . seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God , I will also forget thy children ." " There is no truth , nor mercy , nor knowledge of God in the land . By swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and committing adultery , they break out , and blood toucheth blood ." Hosea 4:6 , 1 , 2 . Such were the results of banishing the word of God .
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