Chapter I. On Restitution Because of Damage in Goods of the Soul

I say. Each one is held from justice to repair damage which he efficaciously and unjustly brought upon his neighbor in the goods, both natural and supernatural, of the soul, provided that that damage can be repaired in the same order. The reason for the obligation is that each one has a right no less strict not to be injured in goods of this sort than in goods of fortune. But the reason for the condition added is that otherwise reparation is not possible.

You Will Resolve. - 1st. He who by force, lying, fraud, unjust fear, induced someone into lethal sin, is held under mortal sin from justice to reparation of the damage, by removing the force or seduction, by manifesting the error, etc. But he who without force or fraud but only by counsel induced someone to sin lethally, is indeed held from charity to revoke that counsel, but not from justice, because to one knowing and willing no injury is done. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, nn. 660 and 661.

2nd. He who by deceit induced another into error, especially practical error, from which grave damage can arise to him in the matter of morals, is held from justice to repair the damages which proceed therefrom, and therefore with all care to remove him from error. Say the same of speculative error concerning articles of faith.

3rd. He who by force, grave fear, or fraud has impeded someone from entrance into religion, or has induced one already entered to desert religion, is held from justice to remove the fraud and deceit; for each one has a right not to be impeded unjustly from the pursuit or possession of so great a good, or to be drawn away from it. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 662.

4th. He who has deprived another, for example, of the use of memory, etc., by poison, a love-potion, etc., is held from justice to repair all that which is repairable from the damage unjustly inflicted.

5th. He who by fraud has impeded another from learning a science, an art . . . or from teaching others, is held to remove the fraud and to repair the temporal damages which have arisen therefrom.

6th. He who from office ought to teach art or science is held to correct errors, if he has admitted any of some moment. - I said from office, because if gratuitously and without the obligation of some agreement he teaches and procures no or only very little progress in his hearers through negligence or culpable ignorance, excluding the case of fraud or deceit or special damage proceeding from the error which he taught, he is not held to reparation.