Chapter — Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis
Division Of The Whole Treatise Of Moral Theology
14. The treatise of Moral Theology is conveniently divided by considering separately the individual parts of the definition given: Moral Theology is that part of theological science which judges and directs human acts in order to the supernatural end. Therefore the office of Moral Theology is twofold: 1. to judge, that is, perfectly to know human acts, not indeed as they are in the psychological order, but as in the moral order they are ordered to the supernatural end; 2. to direct those acts to the supernatural end. And therefore the whole of Moral Theology is also conveniently divided into two parts, namely: the first part, concerning all things which pertain to this perfect knowledge of human acts; the second part, concerning the proximate means for attaining the supernatural end. These means indeed, in the present state of things, are sanctifying grace and actual grace, which are chiefly conferred or increased for us in the sacraments of the New Law. - To the perfect knowledge of human acts there belongs above all the knowledge of the last end, from which acts receive morality and on account of which all our acts are done. Then the human acts themselves are to be considered, insofar as they serve for obtaining this end. The morality of human acts is measured by a twofold rule: one remote and objective, namely law (eternal law); the other proximate and subjective, namely conscience. Whence, after the treatise on human acts, one must first treat of laws and then of conscience. The causes of human acts are habits, whether good or evil. Whence consequently one must treat of good habits or virtues, and of evil habits or vices; and indeed first in general and then in species. And thus the first part of Moral Theology is ended. - The other part will be, as was already said above, concerning the proximate means65 without which it is impossible to arrive at the supernatural end, that is, concerning grace, which is conferred upon us in the sacraments. Therefore one must treat of the sacraments in general and in species.
To one looking carefully it appears that this division of the matter almost agrees with the division of the Summa theologica of St. Thomas. There is, however, this difference: St. Thomas treats of the sacraments in Dogmatics; we, on the contrary, in Morals, because the administration of the sacraments pertains so much to the daily practice of the priest that Moral Theology, if it did not instruct perfectly concerning this practice, would be altogether maimed.
Therefore the division of the whole of Moral Theology is contained in the following brief conspectus.
Part I
On the last end and beatitude.
On human acts; there is subjoined a treatise on the passions, insofar as they influence human acts.
On laws.
On conscience.
On sins in general.
On virtues in general.
On faith and the opposed vices.
On hope and the opposed vices.
On charity and the opposed vices.
On prudence and the opposed vices.
On justice and the opposed vices. - There is added a treatise on contracts.
On fortitude and the opposed vices.
On temperance and the opposed vices.
Part II
On the sacraments in general and on sacramentals.
On baptism.
On confirmation.
On the Eucharist.
On penance, where there is added a treatise on censures and indulgences.
On extreme unction.
On order.
On marriage.
65 Besides the proximate means of salvation, namely grace, there also exist remote means, whether natural, for example, the intellective powers, created things, human society, etc., or supernatural, for example, the Church, revelation, etc.