absolves or binds
without God, she is no longer the Church. For, as in the case of parliament,
even if the king have pardoned a man, it must be ratified; but if parliament
ratifies without the king, or refuses to ratify on the order of the king, it
is no longer the parliament of the king, but a rebellious assembly.

871. The Church, the Pope. Unity, plurality.--Considering the Church as a
unity, the Pope, who is its head, is as the whole. Considering it as a
plurality, the Pope is only a part of it. The Fathers have considered the
Church now in the one way, now in the other. And thus they have spoken
differently of the Pope. (Saint Cyprian: Sacerdos Dei.)[216] But in
establishing one of these truths, they have not excluded the other.
Plurality which is not reduced to unity is confusion; unity which does not
depend on plurality is tyranny. There is scarcely any other country than
France in which it is permissible to say that the Council is above the Pope.

872. The Pope is head. Who else is known of all? Who else is recognised by
all, having power to insinuate himself into all the body, because he holds
the principal shoot, which insinuates itself everywhere? H