Outline of the book

Riches Increased by Giving, by Thomas Gouge

By Dr. C. Matthew McMahon

Gouge, Thomas, Riches Increased By Giving

Sprinkle Publications, P.O. Box 1094, Harrisonburg, VA: 1992.

Hardcover, 234 Pages.

Title: Riches Increased By giving; or, The Right Use of Mammon Being the Surest and Safest way of Thriving.

I. Recommendations (Prefaces)

A.     Dr. John Owen

1.                  “Whoever readeth the Word of God with any attention or understanding, and withal considers the various disposal of the conditions of mankind, of Christians, of believers in this world, according to the sovereign pleasure of His holy wise Providence, cannot but just, that among all the external duties which are required of us in this world, there is none more necessary, none more useful, none wherein the glory of God is more concerned, than the due and abundant exercise of the fruits of charity towards it proper objects.” (Pages 1-2)

2.                  The devil causes men to reject giving

3.                  Gouge demonstrates that no man who gives will ever be a looser of rewards.

a) God has abundantly blessed him in this work

B.     Dr. Thomas Manton

1.                  Alms giving should be done in earnest by all Christians

2.                  Liberality does not impoverish men, but enrich them

3.                  The OT liberality of alms giving is still in effect today

a) Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

b) 2 Cor. 9:9, “As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.”

4.                  The devil is not the dispenser of temporal blessing, but God.

a) A faithful use of them is not to forfeit them in giving, but to make good use of them and increase them in giving through God’s blessing.

5.                  Temporal things are not to be looked on as our chief reward.

6.                  God will try our faith in giving

7.                  We should not lift up a secret desire of worldly increase to satisfy our covetous minds; in short, this motive may be urged to check temptations to sordid sparing.

C.     Rev. Richard Baxter

1.                  “God can relieve the poor, and do good to other men without us, but it is our honor to be made his stewards, and his great mercy to us, to receive that honor, yea, to have a willing heart though we want a purse.” (Page 14)

2.                  Charity is praised by all sorts of men

a) Even Judas pretended to praise charity while holding the money bag

3.                  It is a pity that men should need another motive to give than that of God’s grace to us

4.                  Personally, Baxter said he never prospered in his own estate unless he was giving.

a) I never gave my money to “need-nots” (that which I did not really need.)

b) I always tried to give to the common good of others in what they needed after I was settled myself

c) I took every present opportunity to give

5.                  Giving makes life sweeter.

D.     Dr. William Bates

1.                  God has given us [money] so that we have occasion to give to others.

a) He imposes stewardship on us so we are able to impose money to those who are in need

b) “The performance of this duty gives us a regular enjoyment of what we have.” (Page 19)

c) “The neglect of paying what God has reserved as an acknowledgement we have received all from him, makes a forfeiture of our property.  And how foolish is it to deny a part at his command, who can by right and power deprive us of all in a moment?” (Page 20)

2.                  God stirs us to give in a variety of ways

a) Godliness is profitable in all things

b) Giving is a happy influence  upon our prosperity

c) God signs himself as our debtor for what is laid out for him, as it were not his own.

(1)                This is amazing!

3.                  Covetousness desires to make provision for the flesh – the sinful nature

a) It is founded upon a jealousy of keeping what we have or what we think we have earned.

4.                  “Now the word of God assures us, that the best way to preserve and increase our income, is by giving liberal supplies to the want of others.” (Page 21)

5.                  The is an inseparable connection between “give, and it shall be given unto you.”

6.                  There are numerous examples of God’s justice executed on those who do not give, as there is blessing on those who do.

7.                  “The mere external work of charity does not entitle to the blessings of promise, but when it is performed aright.” (Page 23)

a) From what is our own

b) The end must be sincere

(1)                To imitate the Father in the bestowal of mercies

c) The affection in giving must be free and joyful

8.                  Sometimes the “blessing” may not be temporal, but spiritual and eternal.

a) However, keep in mind that God promised earthly blessings to the children of Israel entering Canaan upon obedience.

II. Riches Increased

A.     Principle Text: Matthew 10:41-42

1.                  “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”

a) This is from a sermon of Christ

b) He places a high value upon the needs of ministers, and saints themselves

(1)                His desire is for them to show kindness to these types of people

2.                  The words contain a declaration of great benefit

a) Words of relief and succor to ministers

b) Words of relief and succor to saints

3.                  Who is meant by the word “prophet?”

a) By a prophet our Savior here means not only extraordinary ministers, such as the OT prophets, immediately inspired by the Holy Spirit, but also ordinary ministers of the word, and all those who labor in interpreting the Scriptures

(1)                Rev. 11:18, “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”

4.                  Who is meant by the word “righteous men?”

a) He means saints, or such as testify their justification through faith in Christ, by their sanctification, and fruits of a good conscience, whom commonly the Scripture styleth saints.

5.                  What is meant by “receiving these?”

a) Two things which may have reference

(1)                The word and message of an interpreter of God’s word (a minister, theologian, etc.)

(a)               Which refers to the hearkening of the message as well

(b)               To the person of the minister or interpreter

(i)                Showing kindness to him is evident from the cup of water

(ii)             “Receiving a prophet” is the idea here

b) Thus, “both these are employed under this phrase of receiving a prophet, viz. His doctrine, by embracing and submitting to it; and his person, by harboring, succoring and relieving him according to his need.” (Page 28)

6.                  What is meant by “receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet?”

a) Succoring or relieving him for his calling’s sake.

(1)                i.e. because he is a prophet.

b) Receiving a righteous man for the sake of a righteous man is the same thing – because of who he is.

7.                  What is meant by the reward of a prophet and a righteous man?

a) Active and passive answer

(1)                Active – for that reward which a prophet or a righteous man giveth.

(2)               Passive – for that which is by God given to the one and to the other.

(3)               The reward which a prophet giveth, is

(a)               To ministerally to preach the word of reconciliation to as such receive them, as Peter did with Cornelius

(i)                Acts 10:34, “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.”

(b)               To pray for them, as Abraham for Abimelech

(i)                Gen. 20:7, 17, “Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine… So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.”

(c)                And to bless them, as Melchizedek blessed Abraham

(i)                Gen. 14:19, “And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth.”

(4)               The reward which a righteous man gives is

(a)               Privately to instruct and edify, to pray for, and to be a good pattern and example of righteousness, to such as entertain or otherwise relieve him.

(5)               The reward is given by God, to either of these

(a)               There may be different degrees of the reward which is evident

(i)                Daniel 12:3, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

B.     Points of Instruction from the Text

1.                  That all needful succor and support is to be afforded to ministers of the Gospel.

a) This is the main and principle point intended.

2.                  Also, Christian kindness is to be shown to the members of Christ.

a) Christ does not content himself to have mentioned a prophet, but also added a righteous man.

b) These two make up the household of faith, to whom Paul exhorts us to be especially good

(1)                Gal. 6:10, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

3.                  Objections?

a) What great reward can be expected of helping these kinds of people? They are of “little esteem.”

(1)                They are not little in the eyes of the Lord.

b) I am but poor – what can I do for them?

(1)                Even if your kindness is only a cup of cold water, and even if it is taken out of a cold river, without any pains to heat it up for them, yet it shall be rewarded.  It is the willingness of the giver, rather than just the gift itself.

4.                  Who are the “little ones?”

a) The little ones are the esteem of the prophets and righteous men in the eyes of the world.

(1)                Isaiah 62:4, “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married..”

(a)               1 Cor. 4:13, “Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.”

b) Do not judge as the world judges

(1)                They are “whom the world is not worthy.”

(2)               They are the “excellent ones.”

(a)               Psalm 16:3, “But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.”

c) They are little in their own eyes

(1)                Gen. 18:27 – Abraham is nothing more than dust and ashes

(a)               Genesis 18:27, “And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.”

(2)               Gen. 32:10 – Jacob acknowledged himself unworthy or less than the least of God’s mercies

(a)               Genesis 32:10, “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.”

(b)               The best saints know themselves in relation to the Law of God and are always found to be wanting.

(i)                Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

(ii)             Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

5.                  Christians should have a charitable eye to such ministers or Christians as are more obscure, and less honorable in the world.

6.                  God takes notice of all his saints, even of the least of them, and of kindness shown unto them.

a) Luke 16:20 – though Lazarus was a poor beggar and full of sores, and despised of Dives [Latin for “Rich man”], and all his household, yet God too such notice of him that he made his angels attend him.  Yea, God took notice of the kindness which the dogs shewed him, for their licking of his sores, is recorded to all the ages.

(1)                Luke 16:20, “And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores.”

(2)               Psalm 40:17, “But I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me.”

(3)               Psalm 34:6, “This poor man cried and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”

7.                  Why does God take notice of his saints?

a) They are his children and his household

b) By grace, they are all precious stones to him

c) “And if God will thus remember those that remember the least of his, will not his anger be enkindled against us if they are neglected?” (Page 40)

(1)                Who knows if you have come into your own estates for such a time as this? (as with Esther?)

8.                  Those who give shall not lose their reward, even if it is but a cup of cold water.

a) Doctrine: “That the least work of charity shewed to a minister or righteous man, shall be abundantly recompensed, and that not only hereafter, but likewise here on earth.” (Page 41)

b) Luke 16:9 is exceedingly clear, “Make yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”

c) And 1 Timothy 6:17, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”

C.     “But the great question is concerning temporal reward – whether Christian charity, rightly performed, shall be recompensed here in this life with temporal blessings, so that what men give in a way of charity, there is ground to expect, it shall be returned into their bosoms again with increase.” (Page 42)

1.                  I do not deny that charitable men may become poor, and be reduced in some way to hard times.

a) It could be through taking on too much responsibility beyond his means, negligence in his calling, some secret sin, etc.

2.                  “But this I say, that a penuriousness towards the poor is the readiest way to poverty, so Christian charity, rightly performed, is the surest way to plenty and happiness, it being usually rewarded with temporal blessings here, as well as with eternity hereafter.” (Page 43)

a) Nothing is more clearly laid down in Scripture on this

b) The world is challenged to show instances where charitable men have come to poverty as a result of their charity – none can be found!

(1)                I shall prove this by Scripture, example, and reason.

3.                  By Scriptural Proof there is many

a) 1 Tim. 4:8, “having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

b) Deut. 15:10, “Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.”

(1)                Divine blessing makes you rich

c) Proverbs 3:9-10, “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”

(1)                “God’s usual way is to make good returns of all we lay out upon him and his; and that our wisest way both for insuring and improving what we have, is to make ourselves creditors to his needy saints.” (Page 45)

d) He that scatters, increases

(1)                Proverbs 11:24, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”

(a)               The man is grown rich by giving

(b)               “If thou wilt secure thyself from beggary, keep not God’s beggars from thy door, nor send away empty whose needs, though not their tongues, cry in thine ears, Give for the Lord’s sake.” (Page 46) Fear not to lose by laying out (Page 47)

(c)                Psalm 112:10, In this verse we read that the “liberal soul shall be made fat.”

(i)                The soul is often in Scripture taken to signify the man, and so it is here, and is the same as the liberal man.  To be made fat signifies to prosper, to be full and abound, and thus it shall be, if this Scripture may be credited.

(ii)             The liberal man, as the reward and encouragement of his liberality, shall prosper in the world.

e) Proverbs 19:17, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”

(1)                If that which you give is repaid, how can it ever be said that it is lost?

(2)               “Happy is the man that becomes creditor to his Creator, and makes God his debtor!” (Page 49)

(a)               He will pay the principal with interest

(b)               God deals upon the trust of the giver.

(i)                God may bless in a variety of ways.

(c)                He does give bread for bread, money for money, and clothes for clothes; but he may also give rubies for gold, silver for brass, and the like.

f) Ecclesiastes 11:1, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.”

(1)                By bread, here, is meant everything necessary for men’s lives.

(2)               “Casting” is meant “freely giving.”

(3)               Though it seems lost when it is cast from you, yet you shall find it again after many days.

(4)               It shall be increased to you after a time even though you give it away.

g) Isaiah 58:7-8, “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.”

(1)                The day of prosperity will break forth

(2)               The glory of God will be by his power in providence

(3)               Verse 10 is also an emblem of a flourishing and prosperous estate which usually follows and accompanies merciful men.

(4)               Matthew 19:29 – here in this life they shall receive a hundred-fold

h) The Savior reminds us of these truths

(1)                Luke 6:38 – give and it shall be given unto you

i) Paul remind us of these truths

(1)                2 Cor. 9:6 – sowing and reaping sparingly and bountifully

(2)               As men sow, thus shall they reap.

(3)               Dr. Hammond is quoted, “By reaping bountifully, I conceive is meant, not only God’s abundant retributions of glory in another world, but even his payments of temporal plenty, and blessings here to those who have been willing to make that Christian use of that earthly talent committed to their stewardship.” (Page 56)

(4)               Dr. Hammond quoted again, “By all those testimonies from the Word of God, both in the NT and OT, I conceive this truth is as clear as any in Scripture; that the promise of temporal plenty to the liberal is so distinct and infallible, that it can be no less than a very gross ignorance of plain Scripture not to observe it; and also an act of infidelity not to believe it.”

j) Ancient Father and Modern Divines agree

(1)                Clement of Alexandria – Not that he possesses wealth and keeps it by him, but he that distributes it, is rich;  neither is it the possessing, but the laying out of riches that make one rich.

(2)               Isadoris – We lose all earthly things by keeping them, and by giving them away we keep them.

(3)               St. Basil – It is the best way of thriving to give to them that are in want.

(4)               Augustine – The field of the poor is very fruitful, and quickly yeildeth an increase to the charitable…give a little and thou shalt receive a hundred fold.

(5)               Dr. Jeremy Taylor – The portion of our estate, our of which a tenth, or a fifth, a twentieth, or some offering to God for religion, and the poor, goes forth, certainly returns with a great blessing upon all the rest.

(6)               Mr. Hildersham – It is a duty that God hath made greater promises unto, than to any other almost a Christian can perform.

(a)               It shall never hinder or beggar a man

(b)               It will return again with increase

(c)                It will bring God’s blessing

(7)               Dr. Thomas Jacomb – God will return to the merciful man what he gives to the poor, he will reward him in kind, that look whatever it is that he bestows, it shall be in the very kind made up to him again; many have found this to be true…no man shall be less rich at the year’s end for what he lays out upon the poor and God’s cause; you shall have your money again, and interest with it.

k) How vial a thought it is to distrust God!

(1)                Why would you not put your money in God’s hands – the safest place, that he would give an abundant increase on His own goods?

4.                  Two Cautions

a) Not to ascribe the reward to any merit of your good works, but only to the free grace and rich mercy of God.

b) “Though our alms-deeds are sacrifices acceptable and well pleasing to God through Christ, and though he hath bound himself by many gracious promises, to reward the same both here and hereafter, yet far be it from us to perform them merely out of hope of reward, but rather for consciences sake, in obedience to the command of God (who hath required them at our hands) and in testimony of our thankfulness unto him, for what he hath graciously bestowed on us.” (Page 66)

(1)                So we must distribute our alms, not so much for the reward’s sake, as out of gratitude  for the Lord’s sake.

(2)               The chief end we should aim at in all our good works are the glory of God and obedience to his command. (Page 67)

(3)               The truth is, this temporal reward should not so much be looked at, as an argument to persuade us to give, but as an answer of an objection against giving. (Page 67)

5.                  Are their Biblical examples of this (giving to ministers and saints and then receiving an increase?)

a) The widow of Serepta

(1)                Nourished Elijah in her house during famine

(2)               The Lord recompensed her kindness by miraculous increase in her oil, and restoring her son’s life again.

(a)               1 Kings 17:22, “And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.”

b) Of Job

(1)                He was a merciful man

(a)               Job 29:12-15, “Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.  The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.  I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.  I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.”

(b)               Job 31:16, 22, “If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail…Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.”

(2)               Did he prosper? Satan came against him and took everything

(3)               What then?  After a time, the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before

(a)               Job 42:10ff, “And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.”

c) Of Publius and his countrymen

(1)                Paul was shipwrecked on his island

(2)               They helped Paul and the others giving them food and a place to stay for three days.

(3)               Publius’ father lay ill and Paul healed him, and then Paul healed many sick on the island.

(4)               Their kindness to Paul was repaid a hundred fold.

6.                  Are their modern examples of this (giving to ministers and saints and then receiving an increase?)

a) St. Aban received a poor minister into his house (Fox Books of Martyrs)

(1)                St. Aban was then converted as a result and died as a martyr for Christ

b) Constantine the great was very merciful and generous, and Augustine writes that he  had more than all his heart could wish, for his bounty or the poor (City of God, 1:5)

c) Cendrenus, a Jew, read Proverbs 19:17 and resolved to try God in it (“He that pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”)

(1)                He gave all he had but 2 pieces of silver to the poor.

(2)               He was not presently answered in the expectation and became mad

(3)               He went up to Jerusalem to “speak with God” for not performing his promise.

(4)               He found 2 men arguing about a stone, but they could not divide the stone to each have a part.  Cendrenus then gave his two pieces of silver, one to each, for the stone. 

(5)               When he came upon Jerusalem he visited a goldsmith and the goldsmith told him that the stone was very precious and worth much, of which he was paid for it.  the goldsmith, in hearing his story, reproved Cendrenus for not trusting God, and that he should the next time.

d) The story of Tiberius the Second

(1)                Famous for bounty to the poor, insomuch his wife hated that he was so generous

(2)               In giving a great amount away, he then found a treasure hidden on his estate and became very rich, to give more away…

e) More of these are The Bisop of Millian, Mary – the wife of Alexander, John Stewart, Daniel Waldow, Mr. John Walter, William Pennoyer, Thomas Arnold, John Clark, John Bathrust, Dr. Edmund Trench, Samuel Dunche, Dr. William Gouge (his father)

7.                  Further Confirmation of the Truth of This

a) Confirmation may be taken from the goodness and bounty of God, which is such that he will not suffer and work of charity, shewed to any of his ministers or children, to pass away unrewarded, without full recompense.

(1)                Psalm 62:12, “Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.”

(2)               God will not remain in nay man’s debt for very long…

b) Confirmation may be taken from the faithfulness and righteousness of God – He will be good upon His word.

(1)                Hebrews 6:10, “All his promises are yes and amen in Christ.”

(2)