Page:Brief historical relation of the life of Mr. John Livingston Minister of the Gospel.pdf/37

( 37 ) could be conceived had true grace, were declined much in tenderneſs; ſo as it would ſeem the ſword opens a gap, and makes every body worse than before, an inward plague coming with the outward; yet ſome few were in a very lively condition. I went with the army to the field, whim they took in Newry: a part of the rebels that made ſome oppoſition by the way at the entry of a wood were killed. They were ſo fat, that one might have hid their fingers in the lirks of their breasts. The people of the north of Ireland, ſent commiſſioners to the next general aſſembly of Scotland, Anno 1642. petitioning for miniſters to be ſent to them, for now they had none at all. The aſſembly thought not ſit to looſe any, but for four or five years thereafter, ordered eight miniſters in the year to go over for viſits, two for three months, and after them other two, and in the mean time ſome godly and able young men to be dealt with to go over for ſettling; and that theſe miniſters might in pariſhes tied elderſhips, and with the presbytery of the army, try and admit miniſters. Theſe miniſters who went, uſed, for the moſt part, to ſeparate themſelves to divers pariſhes in ſeveral parts of the country; there being ſuch a great number of vacant pariſhes, yet ſo as the one would alſo viſit the place where the other had been. By this appointment I was ſent over three months in Summer 1643. and as long in Summer 1645. In Summer 1646. I went thither with the marquis of Argyl and ſome other commiſſioners, who went to deſire ſome of the Scots army in Ireland, to be ſent to Scotland, and Anno 1648. I was deſired by the commiſſion of the kirk to deal with the army there, not to ſend any to the engagers. For the moſt part of all theſe three months I preached every day once, and twice on the Sabbath; the deſtitute pariſhes were many; the hunger of the people was become great; and the Lord was pleaſed to furniſh otherwiſe than uſually I wont to get at home. I came ordinarily the night before to the place where I was to preach, and commonly lodged in ſome religious perſon’s houſe; where we were often well refreſhed at family exerciſe: Uſually I deſired no more before I went to bed, but to make ſure the place of Scripture I was to preach on the next