good thing, and allowed of God:  but the abuse of such things is reproved.  Husbandman, and married man, every one in his calling, may use and do the works of his calling.  The husbandman may go to plough; they may buy and sell; also, men may marry; but they may not set their hearts upon it.  The husbandman may not so apply his husbandry to set aside the hearing of the word of God; for when he doth so, he sinneth damnably:  for he more regardeth his husbandry than God and his word; he hath all lust and pleasure in his husbandry, which pleasure is naught.  As there be many husbandmen which will not come to service; they make their excuses that they have other business:  but this excusing is naught; for commonly they go about wicked matters, and yet they would excuse themselves, to make themselves faultless; or, at the least way, they will diminish their faults, which thing itself is a great wickedness; to do wickedly, and then to defend that same wickedness, to neglect and despise God’s word, and then to excuse such doings, like as these men do here in this gospel.  The husbandman saith, “I have bought a farm; therefore have me excused:  the other saith, I have bought five yoke of oxen; I pray thee have me excused:”  Now when he cometh to the married man, that same fellow saith not, “Have me excused,” as the others say; but he only saith, “I cannot come.”  Where it is to be noted, that the affections of carnal lusts and concupiscence are the strongest above all the other:  for there be some men which set all their hearts upon voluptuousness; they regard nothing else, neither God nor his word; and therefore this married man saith, “I cannot come;” because his affections are more strong and more vehement than the other men’s were.

But what shall be their reward which refuse to come?  The house-father saith, “I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”  With these words Christ our Saviour teacheth us, that all those that love better worldly things than God and his word shall be shut out from his supper; that is to say, from everlasting joy and felicity:  for it is a great matter to despise God’s word, or the minister of the same; for the office of preaching is the office of salvation; it hath warrants in scripture, it is grounded upon God’s word.  St. Paul to the Romans maketh a gradation of such-wise:  Omnis quicunque invocaverit nomen Domini salvabitur:  quomodo ergo invocabunt in quem non crediderunt, aut quomodo credent ei quem non audisrunt? that is to say, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved:  but how shall they call upon him, in whom they believe not?  How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard?  How shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” At the length he concludeth, saying, Fides ex auditu; “Faith cometh by hearing.”  Where ye may perceive, how necessary a thing it is to hear God’s word,