The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^14. Therefore understand it not so....When you are filled with spiritual riches, can you be poor? And was he therefore rich, because he had a bed of ivory; and are you poor who hast the chamber of your heart filled with such jewelry of virtues, justice, truth, charity, faith, endurance? Unfold your riches, if you have them, and compare them with the riches of the rich. But such an one has found in the market mules of great value, and has bought them. If you could find faith to be sold, how much would you give for that, which God wills that you should have gratis, and you are ungrateful? Those rich then lack, they lack, and what is heavier, they lack bread....For He has said, “I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven.” And again, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” “But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing:” but what manner of good, I have already said.

15. “Come, you children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord”. You think, brethren, that I say this: think that David says it; think that an Apostle says it; nay think that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself says it; “Come, you children, hearken unto Me.” Let us hearken unto Him together: hearken ye unto Him through us. For He would teach us; He the Humble, He that drums, He that affects, would teach us....

16. “What man is he that desires life, and loves to see good days?”. He asks a question. Does not every one among you answer, I? Is there any man among you that loves not life, that is, that desires not life, and loves not to see good days? Do ye not daily thus murmur, and thus speak; How long shall we suffer these things? Daily are they worse and worse: in our fathers' time were days more joyful, were days better. O if you could ask those same, your fathers, in like manner would they murmur to you of their own days. Our fathers were happy, miserable are we, evil days have we: such an one ruled over us, we thought that after his death might some refreshing be given to us; worse things have come: O God, show unto us good days! “What man is he that desires life, and loves to see good days?” Let him not seek here good days. A good thing he seeks, but not in its right place does he seek it. As, if you should seek some righteous man in a country, wherein he lived not, it would be said to you, A good man you seek, a great man you seek, seek him still, but not here; in vain you seek him here, you will never find him. Good days you seek, together let us seek them, seek not here....Read the Scriptures....