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.
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