Preface

Concerning this new edition of our work, it will be enough to state that, although it had to be completed within a short space of time, it comes forth not only more carefully corrected, but also enriched with more explanations and arguments. Indeed, two questions have been added, both difficult and much disputed today, so that, more and more according to our powers, we might attain our purpose of explaining present controversies.

Now, to explain the plan of the book itself, we shall give substantially what we set forth by way of preface when we first wrote the work.

The proximate General Congregation of the Society of Jesus furnished the first occasion for writing, when by its Decree XXIV it ordered that, in our discipline, those questions "which contain the principles of moral science" be expounded scholastically. The times and the circumstances of public affairs then suggested that we should begin with justice, although, according to rational philosophy, that particular class of subject ought to yield its place to more general matters.

Accordingly, in this volume we do not embrace everything with which works On Right and Justice customarily deal, but only those matters that we judged would prepare an approach to particular answers, or would be especially pertinent to present-day controversies.

With this selection made, the result, in sum, is that the matters are fewer in number, yet it is possible to make the exposition of each more copious and abundant.

Moreover, we approached the treatment of the subject with this design: that in our discourse we should pursue not only what was approved by us, but also what was pleasing to others; and that, without in the least concealing the difficulty of the matters, we should weigh their reasons most diligently according to their proper weight.

But because a false understanding or an excessively slight consideration of beginnings is wont to be a common source of error and of disputing endlessly but fruitlessly, we sought for our conclusions the most secure protection of the highest principles. In investigating these, labor somewhat toilsome and disagreeable must be expended, yet it at the same time refreshes the mind of the inquirer with the joyful hope of fruits.

Concerning these highest principles, it pleased us to question the doctors of the preceding age and, above all, the Angelic Doctor, upon whose golden teachings our whole exposition rests. Nevertheless, we by no means neglected more recent authors, especially since the questions would have been poorly adapted to present-day use unless we had directed our attention to the errors of our age. It is pleasing here to profess openly how highly we esteem not a few men, learned in every branch of doctrine, who before us wrote On Justice, and to render them the thanks due for their assistance. Yet, that they might lead us more securely along the way of truth, we followed them only insofar as they seemed to carry the torch of reason before us. Accordingly, we devoted care to investigating their opinions; in approving them there was no flattery, and in departing from them there was no contempt or diminution of esteem, so that we employed the same authors by turns as patrons and as adversaries.

But if the authority of private men did not prevent us from holding intrinsic arguments in the first place of commendation and from freely disclosing our own opinion, every obstinacy had to be avoided out of the very pursuit of truth. Therefore, we could not stand by our own judgment to such a degree that we would set aside the oracles of that Church which God has given us as the infallible teacher of truth. For this reason we applied ourselves wholly to examining the pontifical documents; and it is superfluous to mention here that, as the subject demanded, chief regard was had for the Encyclical Rerum Novarum.

We have employed the scholastic method. Thus, after the notions have been explained, we prescribed a definite formula of the conclusion, or thesis, which we would confirm in the manner of the dialecticians, resolving, so far as we were able, the contrary arguments. A fuller exposition of the doctrine was then added in corollaries and scholia.

Finally, to provide for the convenience of readers, and by no means disdaining modern arts, we endeavored not only to accommodate the variety of typefaces and the form of the book to the diversity of the matters, but also to adorn this volume with several indexes.

May this work of ours, howsoever small it may be, redound to the increase of the virtue of Justice and contribute something to social peace, through the grace of the most just Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus, with the intercession of His Mother, the Immaculate Virgin, in whose most auspicious jubilee year it was written and completed.

Louvain, 31 July 1904.