The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 71
The Life and Death of James Andreas, who dyed Anno Christi 1578.
JAmes Andreas was born in Waibling in Wittenberg, Anno 1538. When his father had kept him three years at School, being unable to maintain him any longer, he intended to have placed him with a Carpenter: but being disswaded by some friends, and having obtained an exhibition out of the Church-stock, he sent him to Stutgard to a choyce Schoolmaster, under whom in …wo years space he learned Grammer, and Rhetorick; and so An. Christi 1541. he went to Tubing, where he so profited, that at the end of …wo years he was made Batchelor of Arts; and two years after that, Master of Arts: there also he studyed Hebrew and Divinity Anno Christi 1546. and of his age eighteen: he was called to Stutgard, where Preaching in a great Auditory, he was chosen and made Deacon; which place he executed so well, that he presently grew famous, insomuch as the Duke of Wittenberg sent for him to Preach before him in his Castle; which he did with much applause: at Tubing also that year he married a wife, by whom he had eighteen children, nine sons, and nine daughters: about that time brake forth that fatall war betwixt Charles the fifth, and the Protestant Princes, wherein the Emperor being conquerour, he seized upon the Dukecome of Wittenberg, by reason whereof the Church there was in a sad condition; yet Andreas, with his wife remained in Stutgard, and by Gods speciall providence was preserved in the middest of the Spanish Souldiers, and yet preached constantly, and faithfully all the while: and so he continued till An. Christi 1548. at which time that accursed In…eirm came forth, which brought so much mischief… to the Church of God: Andreas amongst other godly Ministers that oppsed it, was driven from his place: yet it pleased God that the year after he was chosen to be Deacon at Tubing, where by Catechising he did very much good: Anno Christi 1550. Vlri…ke dying, his son Christopher succeeding him in the Govern…ment of Wittenberg, and affected Andreas exceedingly, and would needs have him commens Dr, which degree (having performed all his exercises) he took the twenty fifth year of his age, & was chosen Pastor of the Church of Gompping, and made Superintendent of those parts: about that time he was sent for by Lodwick Count of Oeting to assist him in the reforming of the Churches within his jurisdiction, and when he took his leave of his owne Prince Christopher, h… charged him, and gave it him in writing, that if Cou… Lodwicke set upon that reformation, that under pretence of Religion, he might rob the Church, and ceaze upon th… revenues of Monasteries, and turn them to his private us…, that he should presently leave him, and come back againe… he assisted also in the reformation of the Churches in He…fanstein; At that time, hearing of a Jew that for these w… hanged by the heels with his head downe, having not se… that kind of punishment, he went to the place, where h… was hanging between two Dogs that were alwayes snatching at him to eat his flesh: the poor wretch repeated i… Hebrew some verses of the Psalmes, wherein he cryed … God for mercy; whereupon Andreas went nearer to hi… and instructed him in the Principles of Christian Religio… about Christ the Messiah, &c. exhorting him to beleeve … him: and it pleased God so to blesse his exhortation to him, that the Dogs gave over tearing of his flesh, and …h… poore Jew desired him to procure that he might be taken down and Baptized, and hung by the neck …or the quicker dispatch, which was done accordingly.
A…dreas was of such esteeme, that he was sent for by divers Princes to reform the Churches in their jurisdictions: he was present at divers Synods and Disputations about Religion. He travelled many thousands of miles, being usually attended but with one servant, yet it pleased God that in all his journies he never met with any affron…. The year before his death, he used often to say, that he should not live long; that he was weary of this life, and much desired to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which was best of all. Falling sick, he sent for Iames Herbrand, saying, I expect, that after my death, many adversaries will rise up to asperse me; and therefore I sent for thee to hear the confession of my Faith, that so thou maist testifie for me when I am dead and gone, that I dyed in the true faith. The same Confession also he made afterwards before the Pastors, and Deacons of Tubing: the night before his death he slept, partly upon his bed, and partly in his chair: when the clock struck six in the morning, he said, my hour draws near: he gave thankes to God for bestowing Christ, for revealing of his will in his Word, for giving him Faith, and the like benefits. And when he was ready to depart, he said, Lord into thy hands I commend my …irit; and so he fell a sleep in the Lord Anno Christi 1590. and of his Age 61.
Ingenius Andreas alwayes lov'd to pry
Into the bosome of Divinity.
He hated idlenesse, and tooke delight
In doing good; his vertues shin'd as bright
As Fame could make them; and he alwayes stood
A firme maintainer of the Churches good.
Religion was his helme by which he stéer'd
His soule to heav'n; and there he was endear'd
To his Creator; in whose Court he sings
Blest halalujahs to the King of Kings.