to him.
12And when Iesvs had heard that Iohn was deliuered vp, he retired into Galilee: 13and leauing the citie Nazareth, came and dwelt in Capharnaum a sea towne, in the borders of Zabulon of Nephthali, 14that it might be fulfilled which was said by Esay the Prophet. 15Land of Zabulon & land of Nephthali, the way of the sea beyond Iordan of Galilee, of the Gentils: 16the people that sate in darknesse, hath seen great light: & to them that sate in a countrie of the shadow of death, light is risen to them. 17From that time Iesvs began to preach, and to say, ″ Doe pennance, for the Kingdom of Heauen is at hand.
18And Iesvs walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers) 19and he sayth to them: Come ye after me, and I wil make you to be fishers of men. 20But they incontinent leauing the nettes, folowed him. 21And going forward from thence, he saw other two brethren, Iames of Zebedee, and Iohn his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, reparing their nets: and he called them. 22And they forthwith left their nets and father and folowed him.
23And Iesvs went round about al Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, & preaching the Ghospel of the Kingdom: and ″ healing euery maladie, and euery infirmitie, in the people. 24And the bruite of him went into al Syria, and they presented to him al that were il at ease, diuersly taken with diseases and torments, and such as were possest, and Lunatikes, and sick of the palsey, and he cured them: 25And much people folowed him from Galilee, and Decapolis, and Hierusalem, and from Iurie and from beyond Iordan.
ANNOTATIONS
Chap. IIII.
1. Desert.] As Iohn the Baptist, so our Sauiour by going into the desert, and there liuing in contemplation euen among brute beasts, and subiect to the assaults of the Diuel for our sinnes, geueth a warrant and example to such holy men as haue liued in wildernesse for penance and contemplation, called Eremites.
2. Fasted fourtie daies.] Elias and Moyses (saith S. Hierom) by the fast of 40. daies, were filled with the familiaritie of God, and our Lord himself in the wildernesse fasted as many, to leaue vnto vs the solemne daies of fast. (that is, Lent.) Hiero. in c. 58 Esa. S. Augustine also hath the very like wordes ep. 119. And generally al the ancient Fathers that by occasion, or of purpose speake of the Lent-fast, make it not only an imitation of our Sauiours fast, but also an Apostolical tradition, and of necessitie to be kept. Contēne not Lent (saith S. Ignatius) for it containeth the imitation of our Lordes conuersation. And S. Ambrose saith plainely, that it was not ordained by men, but consecrated by God: nor inuented by any earthly cogitation but commaunded by the heauenly Maiestie. And againe, that it is sinne not to fast al the Lent. S. Hieroms wordes also be most plaine: We (saith he) fast fourtie daies, or, make one Lent in a yeare, according to the tradition of the Apostles, in time conuenient. This time most conuenient is (as S. Augustine saith ep. 119) immediatly before Easter, thereby to communicate with our Sauiours Passion: and (as other writers do adde) thereby to come the better prepared and more worthily, to the great solemnitie of Christs Resurrection: beside many other goodly reasons in
