Page:Brief historical relation of the life of Mr. John Livingston Minister of the Gospel.pdf/16

( 16 ) of others. Many of theſe religious profeſſors, had been both ignorant and prophane, and for debt and want, and worſe cauſes, had left Scotland, yet the Lord was pleaſed by his word to work ſuch a change. I do not think there were more lively and experienced chriſtians any where, than were theſe at that time in Ireland, and that in good numbers, and ſeveral of them perſos of good outward condition in the world; being but lately brought in, the lively edge was not yet gone off them, and the perpetual fear that the biſhops would put away their miniſters, made them with great hunger wait on the ordinances. I have known them come ſeveral miles from their own houſes, to communions to the Saturday’s ſermon, and ſpent the whole Saturday night in ſeveral companies, ſometimes a miniſter being with them, ſometimes themſelves alone, in conference and prayer, and waited on the publick ordinances the whole Sabbath, and ſpent the Sabbath night likewiſe, and yet at the Monday’s ſermon were not troubled with ſleepineſs, and ſo have not ſlept till they went home. Becauſe of their holy and righteous carriage, they were generally reverenced even by the graceleſs multitude among whom they lived. Some of them had attained ſuch dexterity of expreſſing religious purpoſes, by the reſemblance of worldly things, that being at feaſts and meals in common inns, where were ſome ignorant prophane perſons, they would among themſelves entertain a ſpiritual diſcourſe for a long time, and the other profoſſed that altho’ they ſpoke good Engliſh. they could not underſtand what they ſaid. In thoſe days it was no great difficulty for a miniſter to preach or pray in publick or private, ſuch was the hunger of the hearers, and it was hard to judge, whether there was more of the Lord’s preſence in the publick or private meetings.

Auguſt 24. 1631, the Lord was pleaſed to deliver me from a great danger of fire. I lay in a high chamber of John Stuart's houſe in B the room was ſtrawed with a great deal of dry ſea-bent; I uſed never after I was aſleep to awaken till the morning, yet that night about one of the clock, all of the houſe being fall aſleep, I wakened