The lives and deaths of the holy apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ together with the two evangelists St. Mark and St. Luke : as also, some other of our Saviours disciples containing an account of their travels, sayings, miracles, sufferings and martyrdoms / all collected from the best authors for public use and benefit.

The Life of St. ANDREW.

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S. ANDREW

THe Sacred Story, which has hitherto been very larg and copious, in describing the

Acts of the two first Apostles, is hencefor∣wards very sparing in its accounts, giveing us only now and then a few accidental re∣marks concerning the rest, and some of them no further mentioned, than the meer recor∣ding of their names.

Amongst the Apostles that succeed, we first take notice of St. Andrew; he was born at Bethsaida, a City of Galilee, Son to John or Jonas, a Fisherman of that Town, and Brother to Simon Peter; he was brought up to his Fathers Trade, whereat he wrought till our Lord called him to another kind of Fishing.

John the Baptist, having lately risen up in the Iewish Church; great Multitudes flock∣ed to him, to hear his discourses; besides, he had also a number of select Disciples, who wait∣ed more particularly upon him: In the num∣ber of which, was our Apostle, who was with him about Jordan; when our Lord came that way, upon his approach, the Baptist told them, that this was the Messiah; whereupon Andrew, and another Disciple follow our Sa∣viour to the place of his abode. After some discourse with him, Andrew goes and ac∣quaints his brother Simon, and both together came to Christ; yet stayed they not long with him, but returned home, and exercised their Calling for more then a year, till our Lord

passing through Galilee, fully satisfied them of his Divinity, and commanded them to fol∣low him, which they did immediatly: shortly after, St. Andrew, together with the rest, was chosen to be one of those that were to be Christ's immediate Vicegerents for planting and pro∣moting the Christian Faith; little else is par∣ticularly recorded of him in the Sacred Story, being comprehended in the general account of the rest of the Apostles.

Our Lord being Ascended, and the Apo∣stles gone out to their work all the World o∣ver; St. Andrew went to Scythia, where some of the Antients say he continued a con∣siderable time, going from Plate to Place, Preaching the Gospel, and Settling Churches, meeting with a great deal of opposition in ma∣ny places: Hence in process of time, he came to Byzantium (since called Constantinople), where he instructed them in the knowledg of the Christian Religion, and founded a Church. After this he Travelled over Thrace, Mace∣donia, and Achaia, where for many years he Preached, and Propagated Christianity; at last he came to Patrae, a City of Achaia, where he gave his last, and great Testimony to it, by laying down his Life for it; the manner of his Martyt••••m one describeth thus.

Aaegaas Proconsus of Achaia, coming to Patrae, and observing many of the people im∣brace

Christianity, he endeavoured by all means to reclaim them, whereupon the Apo∣stle went to him, and expostulated with him about the matter; but the Proconsul derided him, as the Propagator of that Religion, whose Author the Iews had infamously put to death upon the Cross.

The Apostle from this took occasion to dis∣course more fully of Christ; but the other told him plainly, that he might perswade them so that would believe him; for his part, if he would not do Sacrifice to the Gods, he would make him suffer upon the same Cross which He so much extolled. Afterwards he was committed to Prison again.

The next day, he was again brought before the Proconsul, where they began to intreat one another: The Proconsul the Apostle, that he might not foolishly forgo the pleasures of this Life: The Apostle the Proconsul, that he might not wickedly throw away his Soul.

This so inraged the Proconsul, that he told the Apostle, he must either forsake that new Re∣ligion, or resolve to be tortured severely. He replyed, that he feared not his torture, he might do his worst; and that if he had one torture great∣er than another, he might heap that upon him.

The Proconsul first commanded him to be Scourged by seven Li••ors, successively whipping

his naked Body: But seeing his great patience, commanded him to be Crucified, but not to be fastened to the Cross with Nails, but Cords, that so his death might be more lingering and tedious.

Being come within sight of the Cross, he heartily saluted it, saying, That he long desired, and expected that happy hour wherein he might shew an honourable Testimony to his Glorious and Renowned Master. After having prayed and exhorted the people to constancy in that Faith, which he delivered to them, he was fast∣ned to the Cross, whereon he hung two days, Teaching, and Instructing the people all the time, and Exhorting them to suffer chearful∣ly for Christ and his Truth, when-ever they should be called to it. And when great impor∣tunities, in the mean time were used by some to the Proconsul in his behalf, he earnestly beg∣ged of our Lord, at this time, he might Seal the Truth with his Blood. God heard his fervent prayer, and he immediatly expired on the last of November, though in what year, no certain account can be recovered.