Reply Obj. 1:  From the very fact that a reward is given to anyone, the will of him who deserves it is at rest, and in this consists delight.  Consequently, delight is included in the very notion of reward.

Reply Obj. 2:  The very sight of God causes delight.  Consequently, he who sees God cannot need delight.

Reply Obj. 3:  Delight that is attendant upon the operation of the intellect does not hinder it, rather does it perfect it, as stated in Ethic. x, 4:  since what we do with delight, we do with greater care and perseverance.  On the other hand, delight which is extraneous to the operation is a hindrance thereto:  sometimes by distracting the attention because, as already observed, we are more attentive to those things that delight us; and when we are very attentive to one thing, we must needs be less attentive to another:  sometimes on account of opposition; thus a sensual delight that is contrary to reason, hinders the estimate of prudence more than it hinders the estimate of the speculative intellect. ________________________

SECOND ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 4, Art. 2]

Whether in Happiness Vision Ranks Before Delight?

Objection 1:  It would seem that in happiness, delight ranks before vision.  For “delight is the perfection of operation” (Ethic. x, 4).  But perfection ranks before the thing perfected.  Therefore delight ranks before the operation of the intellect, i.e. vision.

Obj. 2:  Further, that by reason of which a thing is desirable, is yet more desirable.  But operations are desired on account of the delight they afford:  hence, too, nature has adjusted delight to those operations which are necessary for the preservation of the individual and of the species, lest animals should disregard such operations.  Therefore, in happiness, delight ranks before the operation of the intellect, which is vision.

Obj. 3:  Further, vision corresponds to faith; while delight or enjoyment corresponds to charity.  But charity ranks before faith, as the Apostle says (1 Cor. 13:13).  Therefore delight or enjoyment ranks before vision.

On the contrary, The cause is greater than its effect.  But vision is the cause of delight.  Therefore vision ranks before delight.

I answer that, The Philosopher discusses this question (Ethic. x, 4), and leaves it unsolved.  But if one consider the matter carefully, the operation of the intellect which is vision, must needs rank before delight.  For delight consists in a certain repose of the will.  Now that the will finds rest in anything, can only be on account of the goodness of that thing in which it reposes.  If therefore the will reposes in an operation, the will’s repose is caused by the goodness of the operation.  Nor does the will seek good for the sake of repose; for thus the very act of the will would be the end, which has been disproved above (Q. 1, A. 1, ad 2;Q. 3, A. 4):  but it seeks to be at rest in the operation, because that operation is its good.  Consequently it is evident that the operation in which the will reposes ranks before the resting of the will therein.