François Véron
Published: 2013-09
Total Pages: 52
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1833 edition. Excerpt: ...Faith. Now I have shewn that the position in question is not expressly defined, it is not therefore, on both these grounds, of Faith. 2. It even seems to me, that we are nearest the truth in Vasquez, Part 2. Disp. 154. cap. l. embracing Gerson's opinion, as reported by Almain, Medina, Driedo, Adrian, Castro, and stat-ed by Vasquez, that " no human law, whether ecclesiastical or civil, in as much as it is a purely human ordinance, and emanates from an authority purely human, can bind the conscience under the penalty of sin; an opinion which Gerson extends, if we may believe the writers mentioned above, to the natural law. The grounds of this opinion are, first: --that neither the naturalnor human law can take cognizance o an object which is purely supernatural, --they cannot, consequently, reach so far as to reward, or punish eternally, this being an object beyond human powers, and completely supernatural. 2. Besides no lawgiver can establish a law, and impose a penalty for its violation, which penalty is beyond the jurisdic tion of the court in which he acts. 3. As no human law can take cognizance of acts purely internal, no human law can impose an obligation on us to perform such acts; and as no human legislator, ecclesiastical or civil, nor even the law of nature has power to inflict an eternal punishment, it follows that neither can he impose an obligation on us, -under the penalty of incurring the guilt of a sin, which, at once, would make us liable to such punishment. 3. However, in case a human law, ecclesiastical or civil, prescribe anything, which it seriously intends should be complied with, and not merely to counsel or direct its performance, --the divine law then steps in, which commands us to obey our superiors...