25.11. 11. Of changing a Religion.
A prince who undertakes to destroy or to
change the established religion of his kingdom must greatly expose
himself. If his government be despotic, he runs a much greater risk of
seeing a revolution arise from such a proceeding, than from any tyranny
whatsoever, and a revolution is not an uncommon thing in such states.
The reason of this is that a state cannot change its religion, manners
and customs in an instant, and with the same rapidity as the prince
publishes the ordinance which establishes a new religion.
Besides, the ancient religion is connected with the constitution of
the kingdom and the new one is not; the former agrees with the climate
and very often the new one is opposed to it. Moreover, the citizens
become disgusted with their laws, and look upon the government already
established with contempt; they conceive a jealousy against the two
religions, instead of a firm belief in one; in a word, these innovations
give to the state, at least for some time, both bad citizens and bad
believers.
