Charge them that are rich in this present age, that they be not haughty, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy;
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
It wasn’t riches he was in dread of, but the disease of riches. The disease of riches is great pride. A grand spirit it is indeed, that in the midst of riches is not prone to this disease, a spirit greater than its riches, surpassing them not by desiring but by despising them.
Praise to the rich if they remain humble. Praise the rich for being poor. The one who writes to Timothy wants them to be like that, when he says, “Order the rich of this world not to be haughty in mind.” I know what I am saying: give them these orders. The riches they have are whispering persuasively to them to be proud; the riches they have make it very hard for them to be humble.
Pride is the first worm of riches; it is a harmful gnawing worm which gnaws at everything and reduces it to ashes. “Charge the rich of this world not to be proud, or to trust in the uncertainty of riches,” lest perhaps one goes to sleep as a rich man and arises a poor man.
Charge the rich of this world not to confide in such uncertain goods; to strive to be rich in good works; to communicate in lending, assisting, giving to others, by which they will lay up an everlasting treasure. (Witham)
Riches are understood in a threefold way in holy Scripture—that is, as bad, good and indifferent…. The indifferent are those which can be either good or bad, since they can tend either way depending on the desire and the character of those who use them. The blessed apostle says with regard to these, “Charge the rich of this world not to be haughty or to hope in uncertain riches but in God, who gives us everything abundantly to enjoy, to do good, to give freely, to share, to store up for themselves a good foundation in the future, so that they may seize the true life.” … When we abandon the visible riches of this world, then, we reject not our own but others’ wealth, even though we boast either of having acquired it by our own labor or of having inherited it from our ancestors. For, as I have said, nothing is ours except this one thing, which is possessed by the heart, which clings to the soul and which can never be taken away by anyone. Conferences, ;
The rich man stands in more uncertainty than the poor man, experiencing, as he does, frequent and diversified changes. What is the sense of this phrase: “Hope in God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy”? God gives all things with liberality that are more necessary than riches: the air, the water, the fire, the sun—all things of this kind. The rich man is not able to say that he enjoys more of the sunbeams than the poor man. He is not able to say that he breathes more plenteous air. These are offered to all alike. It is the greater and more necessary blessings, and those which maintain our life, that God has given to all in common. The smaller and less valuable (I speak of money) are not thus common.
For nothing is so faithless as wealth; of which I have often said, and will not cease to say, that it is a runaway, thankless servant, having no fidelity. If you should throw over him the thousand chains, he will make off dragging his chains after him. Frequently, indeed, have those who possessed wealth shut him up with bars and doors, placing their slaves round about for guards. But he has overpersuaded these very servants and has fled away together with his guards, dragging his keepers after him as if in a manacle, so little security was there in this custody.
Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded.
He has well said, rich in this world. For there are others rich in the future world. And this advice he gives, knowing that nothing so generally produces pride and arrogance as wealth. To abate this, therefore, he immediately adds, Nor trust in uncertain riches; since that was the source of pride; inasmuch as he who hopes in God, is not elated. Why do you place your hopes upon what is instantly transferable? For such is wealth! And why do you hope on that of which you can not be confident? But you say, how can they avoid being high-minded? By considering the instability and uncertainty of riches, and that hope in God is infinitely more valuable; God being the Author of wealth itself.
But in the living God, he says, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
This all things richly is justly spoken, in reference to the changes of the year, to air, light, water, and other gifts. For how richly and ungrudgingly ar...
