Riches increased by giving - Gouge - VII

Required reading
Riches increased by giving by Thomas Gouge (Available from Amazon or free here) - 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.'

My summary
Now Gouge shows us some means of attaining the grace of Christian charity.

Firstly he looks the means which tend to influence our hearts to be willing in this duty, including:
(i) often call to mind the numerous precepts in the Scriptures requiring this duty;
(ii) prefer heaven and the things relating to it before this earth, and earthly things.

Secondly we are given some means tending to aid us for the better performance of Christian charity, including:
(i) devote unto God a certain portion of your yearly income for charitable purposes;
(ii) be earnest with God in prayer.

What grabbed me
I liked this suggestion: 'Prefer heaven and the things relating to it before this earth, and earthly things. Though the temporal reward which I have so much insisted on, be a great encouragement, yet the greatest encouragement is the spiritual and eternal reward that the Lord hath promised. And that this may more powerfully prevail, and tend to encourage you, learn to esteem and prize things spiritual and eternal above all things that are but temporal. Suppose it should so fall out, that you should never receive in kind what you bestow, yet count those temporal things put off at the best rate, which you receive in things spiritual and eternal. Value grace and glory above all the treasures of the earth, and count yourselves to grow rich men according to your abounding in grace, and your evidences for glory; and esteem it an unwise and unprofitable saving, where you have an opportunity to improve in your inner man by expending of your outward substance.'

If you want to be generous with your wealth, focus on the wealth you have in heaven.

Next week's reading
Continue by reading up to the section beginning 'I have thus, in a few words, set forth some of the privileges of the ministers of the Gospel; partly for the comfort and consolation of many of them under the present misery and poverty which they suffer, rather than to sin against their consciences, and partly for the incitation of others to afford them that double honour which the Apostle calls for, 1 Tim 5:17.'
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.