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

John Livingston. 445
ed that day. And because ere we came out of Scotland, it was
desired, that if the king could be moved to swear the Covenant in
Holland, it should be done, the commissioners resolved that they
would accept of his swearing and subscription. It was laid on me
to preach the next Sabbath, when he should swear it, and to read
the National Covenant and Solemn League, and take his oath; the
which day also we came to anchor at the mouth of the Spey. I would
gladly have put it off till we had been in Scotland, or that some of
the other two ministers should preach, but all the rest pressed
most earnestly, urging what a great scandal it would be; and how
far honest men would be dissatisfied, if the king's offer of swearing the Covenant should be rejected. According to miy softness
and silliness of disposition, I was moved to agree."
Before this sermon was preached Mr. Livingston was informed that the king intended to modify the oath by certain
words added to the form at the time of swearing, such as to
preclude any violation of the English laws. He accordingly
laid this before the commissioners, and with them went
to Charles and assured him that no engagement would be received from him other than the oath already submitted
and agreed to. Mr. Livingston very plainly declares his conviction that the guilt of this unadvised admission of a wicked
and faithless king was chargeable not only on the commission,
but the state and the church at large. In all these affairs, the
good man was beyond his element: and no sooner had they
disembarked than he fell behind the king and court, and never
afterwards saw Charles, except to take leave of him at Dundee; where, it should be observed, he used all plainness in
urging him to save them from the assault of the English.
It better suited his temper and desires to preach the gospel.
Amidst these shakings of kingdoms, he was most interested
for that "kingdom which cannot be moved:" and although, in
common with all his nation, he had erroneous ideas respecting
the necessary connexion of secular and ecclesiastical power,
yet the aspect of the Church which he most loved to contemplate was that of her beauty as the bride of Christ. Thus we
find him, several years after the English invasion, rejoicing in
a revival of the work of God in the land. In various parts
numbers were converted by the ministry of the word, and
the meetings at sacramental seasons were much frequented
and highly cheering. It is agreeable to our ideas of a genuine revival of religion to find such a record as this: "A
motion being made at one communion, about Christians' ho voL. iv. No. II. -3 K