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Vaughan, John S. (John Stephen), 1853-1925

"The Purpose of the Papacy"

He is tied up and limited to the divine revelation, and to
the truths which that revelation contains. He is tied up and limited
by the Creeds, already in existence, and by the preceding definitions
of the Church. He is tied up and limited by the divine law and by the
constitution of the Church. Lastly, he is tied up and limited by that
doctrine, divinely revealed, which affirms that, alongside religious
society, there is civil society, that alongside the Ecclesiastical
Hierarchy, there is the power of temporal magistrates, invested, in
their own domain, with a full sovereignty, and to whom we owe in
conscience obedience and respect in all things morally permitted, and
belonging to the domain of civil society."[8]
Further, a definition of divine faith must be drawn from the Apostolic
deposit of doctrine, in order that it may be considered an exercise of
infallibility, whether in Pope or Council. Similarly, a precept of
morals, if it is to be accepted as from an infallible voice, must be
drawn from the moral law, that primary revelation to us from God. The
Pope has no power over the Moral Law, except to assert it, to
interpret it and to enforce it.


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