Augustine Holds True Against the Prosperity "Gospel"

I am not a great historian. I kind of wish I was, but the fact is, I don't have time and when I read biographies with a lot of facts, I usually lose interest. This is a huge hole in my theological knowledge, and sometimes it pains me. I bring this up because of a couple of quotes that I read from Augustine. They would be very appropriate to take to the prosperity gospel proponents for questioning. The reason I speak of my limited knowledge on history is because I wonder when the prosperity gospel started taking such a foot hold worldwide. We know that it has always been somewhat present because we see Paul say some things that would point to the evil preachers of money during his time:

For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
2 Corinthians 2:17

We also even see this said in Isaiah (which is speaking of the evil people taking advantage through evil statutes, but the moral reasoning still stands):

So as to deprive the needy of justice
And rob the poor of My people of their rights,
So that widows may be their spoil
And that they may plunder the orphans.
Isaiah 10:2


The biggest issue that I find with the Prosperity "Gospel" is that they put the gift above the giver. They put on display the glory of the gifts more than the glory of the Saviour. This is a really big issue. We find in 1 Peter 3:18 what our gift is, namely, God!

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
1 Peter 3:18

Notice that Christ died for us, to bring us to God. Not to bring us to God's gifts. What I find interesting through all this is a couple of quotes from Augustine that hit directly to the heart:

You are ever active, yet always at rest. You gather all things to yourself, though you suffer no need...You grieve for wrong, but suffer no pain. You can be angry and yet serene. Your works are varied, but your purpose is one and the same...You welcome those who come to you, though you never lost them. You are never in need yet are glad to gain, never covetous yet you exact a return for your gifts...You release us from our debts, but you lose nothing thereby. You are my God, my Life, my holy Delight, but is this enough to say of you? Can any man say enough when he speaks of you? Yet woe betide those who are silent about you!

Augustine, Confessions, p. 23 (I,4)

Suppose, brethren, a man should make a ring for his betrothed, and she should love the ring more wholeheartedly than the betrothed who made it for her...Certainly, let her love his gift: but, if she should say, "The ring is enough. I do not want to see his face again" what would we say of her?...The pledge is given her by the betrothed just that, in his pledge, he himself may be loved. God, then, has given you all these things. Love Him who made them.

Augustine (Brown, Augustine of Hippo, p. 326 (Tractate on the Epistle of John, 2:11))