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Objection 1: It would seem that external goods also are necessary
for Happiness. For that which is promised the saints for reward,
belongs to Happiness. But external goods are promised the saints;
for instance, food and drink, wealth and a kingdom: for it is said
(Lk. 22:30): "That you may eat and drink at My table in My
kingdom": and (Mt. 6:20): "Lay up to yourselves treasures
in heaven": and (Mt. 25:34): "Come, ye blessed of My
Father, possess you the kingdom." Therefore external goods are
necessary for Happiness.
Objection 2: Further, according to Boethius (De Consol.
iii): happiness is "a state made perfect by the aggregate of all good
things." But some of man's goods are external, although they be of
least account, as Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. ii, 19).
Therefore they too are necessary for Happiness.
Objection 3: Further, Our Lord said (Mt. 5:12): "Your
reward is very great in heaven." But to be in heaven implies being in
a place. Therefore at least external place is necessary for
Happiness.
On the contrary, It is written (Ps. 72:25): "For what
have I in heaven? and besides Thee what do I desire upon earth?"
As though to say: "I desire nothing but this,"---"It is good
for me to adhere to my God." Therefore nothing further external is
necessary for Happiness.
I answer that, For imperfect happiness, such as can be had in this
life, external goods are necessary, not as belonging to the essence of
happiness, but by serving as instruments to happiness, which consists
in an operation of virtue, as stated in Ethic. i, 13. For man
needs in this life, the necessaries of the body, both for the
operation of contemplative virtue, and for the operation of active
virtue, for which latter he needs also many other things by means of
which to perform its operations.
On the other hand, such goods as these are nowise necessary for
perfect Happiness, which consists in seeing God. The reason of this
is that all suchlike external goods are requisite either for the support
of the animal body; or for certain operations which belong to human
life, which we perform by means of the animal body: whereas that
perfect Happiness which consists in seeing God, will be either in the
soul separated from the body, or in the soul united to the body then no
longer animal but spiritual. Consequently these external goods are
nowise necessary for that Happiness, since they are ordained to the
animal life. And since, in this life, the felicity of
contemplation, as being more Godlike, approaches nearer than that of
action to the likeness of that perfect Happiness, therefore it stands
in less need of these goods of the body as stated in Ethic. x, 8.
Reply to Objection 1: All those material promises contained in
Holy Scripture, are to be understood metaphorically, inasmuch as
Scripture is wont to express spiritual things under the form of things
corporeal, in order "that from things we know, we may rise to the
desire of things unknown," as Gregory says (Hom. xi in
Evang.). Thus food and drink signify the delight of Happiness;
wealth, the sufficiency of God for man; the kingdom, the lifting up
of man to union of God.
Reply to Objection 2: These goods that serve for the animal life,
are incompatible with that spiritual life wherein perfect Happiness
consists. Nevertheless in that Happiness there will be the aggregate
of all good things, because whatever good there be in these things, we
shall possess it all in the Supreme Fount of goodness.
Reply to Objection 3: According to Augustine (De Serm. Dom.
in Monte i, 5), it is not material heaven that is described as the
reward of the saints, but a heaven raised on the height of spiritual
goods. Nevertheless a bodily place, viz. the empyrean heaven, will
be appointed to the Blessed, not as a need of Happiness, but by
reason of a certain fitness and adornment.
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