The Life and Times of John Livingston [pp. 428-450]

The Life and Times of
aged person and one child died, and were buried in the sea. Mr.
Blair was much affected with our returning, and fell in a swoon
that day we turned back, and although we could not imagine what
to make of that dispensation, yet we were confident that the Lord
would let us see somewhat that would abundantly satisfy us. Our
outward means were much impaired by this disappointment, for
we had put most of our stocks in provision, and somewhat of merchandize, which we behooved to sell at low rates at our return,
and had provided ourselves with some servants, for fishing and
building of houses, whom we behooved to turn off. That which
grieved us most was, that we were likle to be a mocking to the
wicked; but we found the contrary, that the prelates and their
followers were much dismayed and feared at our return; but neither they nor we knew, that within a year the Lord would root the
prelates out of Scotland, and after that out of England and Ireland."-Life, p. 23, 24, 25.
In the year 1638 we find Mr. Livingston at London,
whither he had been sent with copies of the National Covenant, and letters relating to this great and interesting transaction. Upon hearing that the king had threatened to imprison
him, he hastily returned to Scotland.
"I was present (says he) at Lanerk, and at several other parishes,
when on a Sabbath after the forenoon sermon, the covenant was
read and sworn; and may truly say, that in all my lifetime, except
one day at the kirk of S/tots, I never saw such motions from the
spirit of God; all the people generally, and most willingly concurring; where I have seen more than a thousand persons all at
once lifting up their hands, and the tears falling down from their
eyes, so that through the whole land, except the professed Papists,
and some few who for'base ends adhered to the prelates, the people universally entered into the covenant of God, for reformation
of religion, against prelates and ceremonies."-p. 28.
Shortly after this he was called to the pastoral charge of
Stranrawer, a parish in Galloway, a few miles from Portpatrick, and therefore conveniently near to his Irish friends.
Here he remained until he was, in the summer of 1648, translated "by the sentence of the General Assembly" to Ancrum
in Teviotdale. Great numbers used to come over from Ireland
to communions; on one occasion five hundred such persons
were present. Mr. Livingston was a member of the General
Assembly at Glasgow in 1.638, which established the refor
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