eely described.' Speaking of its purport,
Hallam observes: 'That object was neither more nor less than to
represent the wealth and power of the Church as ill-gotten and
excessive.' Next in importance is a _Treatise on the Inquisition_, which
gives a condensed sketch of the origin and development of the Holy
Office, enlarging upon the special modifications of that institution as
it existed in Venice. Here likewise Sarpi set himself to resist
ecclesiastical encroachments upon the domain of secular jurisdiction. He
pointed out how the right of inquiring into cases of heretical opinion
had been gradually wrested from the hands of the bishop and the State,
and committed to a specially-elected body which held itself only
responsible to Rome. He showed how this powerful tribunal was being used
to the detriment of States, by extending its operation into the sphere
of politics, excluding the secular magistracy from participation in its
judgments, and arrogating to itself the cognizance of civil crimes. A
third _Discourse upon the Press_ brought the same system of attack to
bear upon the Index of prohibited books. Sarpi was here able to
demonstrate that a power originally delegated to the bishops of
proscribing works pernicious to morality and religion, was now employed
for the suppression of sound learning and enlightenment by a
Congregation sworn to support the Papacy. Passing from their proper
sphere of theology and ethics, these ecclesiastics condemned as
heretical all writings which denied the supremacy of Rome over nations
and commonwealths, prevented the publication and sale of books which
defended the rights of princes and republics, and flooded Europe with
doctrines of regicide, Pontifical omnipotence, and hierarchical
predominance in secular affairs. These are the most important of Sarpi's
minor works. But the same spirit of liberal resistance against Church
aggression, supported by the same erudition and critical sagacity, is
noticeable in a short tract explaining how the Right of Asylum had been
abused to the prejudice of public justice; in a _Discourse upon the
Contributions of the Clergy_, distinguishing their real from their
assumed immunities; and in a brief memorandum upon the Greek College in
Rome, exposing the mischief wrought in commonwealths and families by the
Jesuit system of education.

In all these writings Sarpi held firmly by his main principle, that the
State, no less than the Church, exists _jure divi