The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^7. To this we must add, that sometimes those also who are beneath the scourge of temporal unhappiness, mock us...Did not the robber mock, who was crucified with our crucified Lord? If therefore they who are not wealthy mock us, why does the Psalm say, “A reproach to the wealthy”? If we carefully sift the matter, even these (the unfortunate) are wealthy. How are they wealthy? Yea; for if they were not wealthy, they would not be proud. For one man is wealthy in money, and proud on that score: another is wealthy in honours, and is proud on that account: another imagines himself wealthy in righteousness, and hence his pride, which is worse. They who seem not to be wealthy in money, seem to themselves to be wealthy in righteousness towards God; and when calamity overtakes them, they justify themselves, accuse God, and say, What wrong have I been guilty of, or, what have I done? Thou repliest: Look back, call to mind your sins, see if you have done nothing. He is somewhat touched in conscience, and returns to himself, and thinks of his evil deeds; and when he has thought of his evil deeds, not even then does he choose to confess that he deserves his sufferings; but says, Behold, I have clearly done many things; but I see that many have done worse, and suffer no evil. He is righteous against God. He also therefore is wealthy: he has his breast puffed out with righteousness; since God seems to him to do ill, and he seems to himself to suffer unjustly. And if you gave him a vessel to pilot, he would be shipwrecked with it: yet he wishes to deprive God of the government of this world, and himself to hold the helm of Creation, and to distribute among all men pains and pleasures, punishments and rewards. Miserable soul! Yet why do ye wonder? He is wealthy, but wealthy in iniquity, wealthy in malignity; but is more wealthy in iniquity, in proportion as he seems to himself to be wealthy in righteousness.