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Objection 1: It would seem that rectitude of the will is not
necessary for Happiness. For Happiness consists essentially in an
operation of the intellect, as stated above (Question 3, Article
4). But rectitude of the will, by reason of which men are said to
be clean of heart, is not necessary for the perfect operation of the
intellect: for Augustine says (Retract. i, 4) "I do not
approve of what I said in a prayer: O God, Who didst will none but
the clean of heart to know the truth. For it can be answered that many
who are not clean of heart, know many truths." Therefore rectitude
of the will is not necessary for Happiness.
Objection 2: Further, what precedes does not depend on what
follows. But the operation of the intellect precedes the operation of
the will. Therefore Happiness, which is the perfect operation of the
intellect, does not depend on rectitude of the will.
Objection 3: Further, that which is ordained to another as its
end, is not necessary, when the end is already gained; as a ship,
for instance, after arrival in port. But rectitude of will, which is
by reason of virtue, is ordained to Happiness as to its end.
Therefore, Happiness once obtained, rectitude of the will is no
longer necessary.
On the contrary, It is written (Mt. 5:8): "Blessed are the
clean of heart; for they shall see God": and (Heb. 12:14):
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness; without which no man shall
see God."
I answer that, Rectitude of will is necessary for Happiness both
antecedently and concomitantly. Antecedently, because rectitude of
the will consists in being duly ordered to the last end. Now the end
in comparison to what is ordained to the end is as form compared to
matter. Wherefore, just as matter cannot receive a form, unless it
be duly disposed thereto, so nothing gains an end, except it be duly
ordained thereto. And therefore none can obtain Happiness, without
rectitude of the will. Concomitantly, because as stated above
(Question 3, Article 8), final Happiness consists in the vision
of the Divine Essence, Which is the very essence of goodness. So
that the will of him who sees the Essence of God, of necessity,
loves, whatever he loves, in subordination to God; just as the will
of him who sees not God's Essence, of necessity, loves whatever he
loves, under the common notion of good which he knows. And this is
precisely what makes the will right. Wherefore it is evident that
Happiness cannot be without a right will.
Reply to Objection 2: Every act of the will is preceded by an act
of the intellect: but a certain act of the will precedes a certain act
of the intellect. For the will tends to the final act of the intellect
which is happiness. And consequently right inclination of the will is
required antecedently for happiness, just as the arrow must take a
right course in order to strike the target.
Reply to Objection 3: Not everything that is ordained to the end,
ceases with the getting of the end: but only that which involves
imperfection, such as movement. Hence the instruments of movement are
no longer necessary when the end has been gained: but the due order to
the end is necessary.
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