Be not deceived
By false teachers, who, in order to engross all to themselves,
dissuaded the Galatians from communicating to their honourable
pastors, and faithful ministers of the word; or by themselves,
who being of a tenacious and covetous disposition, devised
various things to excuse them from performing this their duty to
the preachers of the Gospel; as that they had families of their
own to maintain, that their circumstances were such that they
could give little or nothing this way, and the others, who were
of better abilities in life, ought to bear this charge; and with
such like things endeavoured to satisfy their consciences in the
neglect of their duty: but this was all self-deception, for
God is not mocked;
nor will he be; men may deceive themselves, and others, with such
excuses and false appearances, yet they cannot deceive God, who
knows their hearts as well as their worldly substance, and that
the omission of their duty arises not from want of ability, but
from a covetous temper; and who looks upon withholding from his
ministers that which is due unto them as mocking of him, and
which he will not suffer with impunity:
for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap; as to kind, quality, and quantity,
generally speaking; if he sows wheat he reaps wheat, if he sows
barley he reaps barley; no man can expect to reap another sort
than what he sows; and if it is good seed he may hope for a good
crop; and if he sows bountifully, he shall reap bountifully; but
if he sows sparingly, he shall reap sparingly; and if he sows
nothing, he can never reap anything. This is a proverbial
expression, and may be applied to all actions, good and bad, and
the reward and punishment of them, and particularly to acts of
beneficence, and the enjoying of the fruits thereof; (See Gill
on
2 Corinthians 9:6).