her principles. Persecution is contrary to the nature of a
universal Church; it is peculiar to the national Churches.

While the Catholic Church by her progress in freedom naturally tends to
push the development of States beyond the sphere where they are still
obliged to preserve the unity of religion, and whilst she extends over
States in all degrees of advancement, Protestantism, which belongs to a
particular age and state of society, which makes no claim to
universality, and which is dependent on political connection, regards
persecution, not as an accident, but as a duty.

Wherever Protestantism prevailed, intolerance became a principle of
State, and was proclaimed in theory even where the Protestants were in a
minority, and where the theory supplied a weapon against themselves. The
Reformation made it a general law, not only against Catholics by way of
self-defence or retaliation, but against all who dissented from the
reformed doctrines, whom it treated, not as enemies, but as
criminals,--against the Protestant sects, against Socinians, and against
atheists. It was not a right, but a duty; its object was to avenge God,
not to preserve order. There is no analogy between the persecution which
preserves and the persecution which attacks; or between intolerance as a
religious duty, and intolerance as a necessity of State. The Reformers
unanimously declared persecution to be incumbent on the civil power; and
the Protestant Governments universally acted upon their injunctions,
until scepticism escaped the infliction of penal laws and condemned
their spirit.

Doubtless, in the interest of their religion, they acted wisely. Freedom
is not more decidedly the natural condition of Catholicism than
intolerance is of Protestantism; which by the help of persecution
succeeded in establishing itself in countries where it had no root in
the affections of the people, and in preserving itself from the internal
divisions which follow free inquiry. Toleration has been at once a cause
and an effect of its decline. The Catholic Church, on the other hand,
supported the mediaeval State by religious unity, and has saved herself
in the modern State by religious freedom. No longer compelled to devise
theories in justification of a system imposed on her by the exigencies
of half-organised societies, she is enabled to revert to a policy more
suited to her nature and to her most venerable traditions; and the
principle of liberty has already r