Page:Popular Works of Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1889) Vol 2.djvu/235

 a disgrace that even the younger and stronger, when they forfeited the freedom they had staked, voluntarily surrendered themselves to the older and feebler winner, and even to sale into the bonds of slavery. These were the elements out of which Christianity had to build up its new State. If, in addition to this, it happened accidentally that several races of similar descent established new States at the same time, and upon the same foundation of Christianity and the Ancient Empire, these States would even by that common descent be bound more closely to each other than to foreign nations; and the most favourable circumstance which could possibly arise, both for Religion and the State, was when Religion attained a central point in external political power, and that power obtained an independent territorial possession. Not, as formerly, seating herself in authority within the Empire, and incessantly controlling the government;—it was now the business of this Central Power to hold together from without the various States of the One Empire of Christianity, and to become the Arbiter between them;—she was now, by her actual position, rather the Guardian of the rights of nations than, as formerly, the Head of internal government. Since that time it had become of much greater importance to Religion that the Empire of Christianity should be divided, and all the parts of it maintained in equal and independent power, because in these circumstances her aid would be needed;—than that it should again return to the form of One State, which event, had it occurred among these still partially untamed spirits, would likely have brought with it dangerous consequences even to the Spiritual Power itself. So it actually happened;—and, under the protection of this power, individual Christian States were enabled to develop themselves according to their separate character, and with a considerable degree of freedom; and the Christian Republic of Nations, which