"Persecution produced its natural effect on them. It found them a sect; it made them a faction"

This quote by Thomas Babington is referring to the impacts of persecution on a group of individuals. He is recommending that persecution can have an effective effect on a group of people, changing them from a sect to a faction. A sect is a group of people who share a common set of beliefs, while a faction is a group of people who are united in opposition to another group or idea. To put it simply, persecution can cause a group of individuals to become more unified and arranged in their opposition to the source of their persecution. This quote is a pointer of the power of persecution and how it can shape the habits of a group of people. It also serves as an alerting to those who would use persecution as a tool to oppress others, as it can have the unintentional repercussion of unifying and strengthening the group being persecuted.