Riches increased by giving - Gouge - VI

Required reading
Riches increased by giving by Thomas Gouge (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue by reading up to the section beginning 'Rich men therefore ought to be rich in good works, for God expecteth fruit answerable to the seed which he soweth.'

My summary
Today Gouge encourages you to give yourselves to the Lord, and with yourselves, all that ever you have, to be so laid out, whether upon yourselves or others as he doth righteously appoint.  He specifically exhorts you to:
(i) By faith give yourself to him and then by charity serve him with what you have;
(ii) Offer up your gift upon the altar;
(iii) Let all your acts of benevolence proceed from the heart, with a prayer that they may tend to the glory of God in the temporal and spiritual good of those who are the objects of it;
(iv) Let all your streams of love flow into the ocean (meaning "Let all be done to the glory of God");
(v) Let your works of charity be done in humility, giving unto God the honour of them;
(vi) Let your works of charity to men be accompanied with prayer and thanksgiving unto God.

What grabbed me
A helpful reminder for whenever we give: 'Take heed that your aim be not to glorify yourselves. As worms breed in the fairest fruit, so pride and vain glory are apt to creep up out of the best duties.'

If you take the glory when you give, you may as well not have given at all.

Next week's reading
Continue by reading up to the section beginning 'Having thus shewed you the means on our part to be performed for attaining and exercising this grace of charity: I shall close with answering two or three objections.'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.