 Human laws were intended to serve the common good, not the interests of the legislator, who was “the servant of the commonwealth”. Any “perfect” community, sacred or secular, had the power to make and enforce laws. Human laws were binding once publicly promulgated; but the Church had its laws from God. The Church had one ruler on earth, the pope, the vicar of Christ, just as the universe was ruled by God; but, like other rulers, the Roman pontiff delegated power for its effective exercise.