Chapter XXXIII.
Truly, as it is written, I have tested you in the furnace of poverty (Isaiah 48:10). Therefore, people are tested in different ways, that is, one through poverty and physical weakness, another through riches and physical health. However, all of these are neither the highest goods nor the highest evils; for the highest evil is eternal death, and the highest good is eternal life. Therefore, all of these things that mortal life has are middling; in both poverty and weakness, there is temptation: for many whom neither poverty nor weakness has broken, health has broken, and riches extinguish. Which the very wise Solomon approves, saying to the Lord: Do not give me riches and poverty, but give me only what is necessary for my livelihood (Prov. XXX, 8); that is, so that he would not be exalted in wealth, nor swear falsely in poverty, nor blaspheme. And that these things we have mentioned are foreign to us, the Lord confirms, saying: If you were not faithful with someone else's, who will give you what is yours (Ambr. l. VII in Luc. sub fin.; Ibid., l. VIII, n. 85)? Therefore, the riches of others are foreign to us, because they are outside of our nature; for they are not born with us, nor do they pass away with us. And therefore, knowing this, we do not serve the things of others, for we should have no other gods but Christ. Therefore, we are guests of our own possessions; whatever is of the world remains in the world: and whatever we acquire for ourselves as heirs, we lose; for with us, we carry nothing but either good or evil deeds. Wealth itself is not bad, but it is bad for those who use it wrongly; for the good things that God has made are very good. Therefore, the philosophers of this world do not consider the greatest good to be anything other than peace, honesty, and virtue; and they do not consider the greatest evil to be anything other than wickedness, dishonor, greed, and immorality. Therefore, the promise and reward of all good things is eternal life, and the threat and punishment of all evil things is the second death.