Eusebius's Ecclesiatical History speaks about the period around the reign of Dioclesian, he thus describes the state of the Church: Qualem quantamque gloriam simul ac libertatem doctrina veræ erga supremum Deum pietatis à Christo primùm hominibus annunciata, apud omnes Græcos pariter & barbaros ante persecutionem nostrâ memoriâ excitatam, consecuta sit, nos certè pro merito explicare non possumus. Argumento esse possit Imperatorum benignitas erga nostros: quibus regendas etiam provincias committebant, omni sacrificandi metu eos liberantes ob singularem, qua in religionem nostram affecti erant, benevolentiam. And a little after: Jam vero quis innumerabilem hominum quotidiè ad fidem Christi confugientium turbam, quis numerum ecclesiarum in singulis urbibus, quis illustres populorum concursus in ædibus sacris, cumulatè possit describere? Quo factum est, ut priscis ædificiis jam non contenti, in singulis urbibus spatiosas ab ipsis fundamentis exstruerent ecclesias. Atque hæc progressii temporis increscentia, & quotidiè in majus & melius proficiscentia, nec livor ullus atterere, nec malignitas dæmonis fascinare, nec hominum insidiæ prohibere unquam potuerunt, quamdiu omnipotentis Dei dextra populum suum, utpote tali dignum præsidio, texit atque custodiit. Sed cum ex nimia libertate in negligentiam ac desidiam prolapsi essemus; cum alter alteri invidere atque obtrectare cæpisset; cum inter nos quasi bella intestina gereremus, verbis, tanquam armis quibusdam hastisque, nos mutuò vulnerantes; cum Antistites adversus Antistites, populi in populos collisi, jurgia ac tumultus agitarent; denique cum fraus & simulatio ad summum malitiæ culmen adolevisset: tum divina ultio, levi brachio ut solet, integro adhuc ecclesiæ statu, & fidelium turbis liberè convenientibus, sensim ac moderatè in nos cæpit animadvertere; orsà primùm persecutione ab iis qui militabant. Cum verò sensu omni destituti de placando Dei numine ne cogitaremus quidem; quin potius instar impiorum quorundam res humanas nullâ providentiâ gubernari rati, alia quotidiè crimina aliis adjiceremus: cum Pastores nostri spretâ religionis regulâ, mutuis inter se contentionibus decertarent, nihil aliud quam jurgia, minas, æmulationem, odia, ac mutuas inimicitias amplificare studentes; principatum quasi tyrannidem quandam contentissimè sibi vindicantes: tunc demùm juxta dictum Hieremiæ, obscuravit Dominus in ira sua filiam Sion, & dejecit de cælo gloriam Israel,—per Ecclesiarum scilicet subversionem, &c.

English translation: We certainly cannot explain, as it deserves, what great glory and freedom the doctrine of true piety toward the supreme God, first announced to men by Christ, had attained among all Greeks and barbarians alike before the persecution aroused in our memory. The benevolence of the emperors toward our people can serve as proof: they entrusted even provinces to them to govern, freeing them from all fear of sacrificing, on account of the singular goodwill with which they were disposed toward our religion. And a little after: But who could adequately describe the innumerable crowd of people daily fleeing to the faith of Christ, the number of churches in individual cities, the illustrious gatherings of the peoples in the sacred buildings? As a result, no longer content with the ancient edifices, they erected spacious churches in individual cities from the very foundations. And these things, increasing with the progress of time and daily advancing to greater and better things, neither any envy could wear away, nor the malice of the demon bewitch, nor the plots of men ever hinder, as long as the right hand of almighty God covered and guarded his people, as being worthy of such protection. But when, from excessive freedom, we had slipped into negligence and sloth; when one began to envy and slander another; when we waged, as it were, civil wars among ourselves, wounding one another mutually with words as with certain weapons and spears; when bishops opposed bishops, peoples clashed against peoples, stirring up quarrels and tumults; finally, when fraud and pretense had grown to the height of malice: then divine vengeance, with a light arm as it is wont, while the state of the church was still intact and the crowds of the faithful were assembling freely, began gradually and moderately to punish us; the persecution starting first from those who were in the military. But when, destitute of all sense, we did not even think of appeasing the divine power; but rather, like certain impious men who think human affairs are governed by no providence, we added other crimes daily to others: when our pastors, despising the rule of religion, contended with mutual strife among themselves, striving to amplify nothing else than quarrels, threats, rivalry, hatreds, and mutual enmities; claiming dominion for themselves most eagerly as if it were a kind of tyranny: then at last, according to the saying of Jeremiah, the Lord in his anger darkened the daughter of Zion, and cast down from heaven the glory of Israel—namely, through the overthrow of the churches, &c. (Ref. Grok,Requested Translation, drmsbsr@icloud.com)