* Thuanns, lib. xxiii. cap. 14.
During that extreme animosity which prevailed between the adherents of
the opposite religions, the civil magistrate, who found it difficult,
if not impossible, for the same laws to govern such enraged adversaries,
was naturally led, by specious rules of prudence, in embracing one
party, to declare war against the other, and to exterminate by fire and
sword those bigots who, from abhorrence of his religion, had proceeded
to an opposition of his power and to a hatred of his person. If any
prince possessed such enlarged views as to foresee, that a mutual
toleration would in time abate the fury of religious prejudices, he yet
met with difficulties in reducing this principle to practice; and might
deem the malady too violent to await a remedy, which, though certain,
must necessarily be slow in its operation. But Philip, though a profound
hypocrite, and extremely governed by self-interest seems also to have
been himself actuated by an imperious bigotry; and as he employed
great reflection in all his conduct, he could easily palliate the
gratification of his natural temper under the color of wisdom, and
find in this system no less advantage to his foreign than his domestic
politics.
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