Augustine of Hippo: Why God gives generously to the righteous and the wicked

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“That God gives good things to the wicked is—if you want to understand why—for your growth and does not indicate a divine perversity. Yet I see that you still do not grasp what I said. Listen therefore to what I was telling you who blame and accuse God because he gives these earthly and temporal goods even to wicked persons, which according to your way of thinking he ought not to give except to the righteous alone…

Gold, silver, every type of money, clothing, clients, relatives, cattle, honors—all these are externals. If these lower, earthly, temporal, transitory goods were not given to the wicked as well, they would be considered great by the righteous. And so God, who gives these things to the bad, teaches you to long for higher things.”

Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo, in Sermon 311.13.12-14.13.