Page:Brief historical relation of the life of Mr. John Livingston Minister of the Gospel.pdf/38

( 38 ) next day. And riſing in the morning, I had four or five hours myſelf alone, either in a chamber or in the fields; after that we went to church, and then dined, and then rode five or fix miles more or leſs to another pariſh. Sometimes there would be four or five communions in ſeveral places in the three months time. I eſteemed theſe viſits in Ireland, the far beſt time of all the while I was in Galloway. After the year 1647. or 1648. the general aſſembly ſent no more any for viſits to Ireland, becauſe by that time ſeveral godly and able miniſters were ſettled there. The miniſters with whom I kept moſt ſociety, and by whoſe counſel and company I profited moſt, were my brother MacClellan at Kircudbright, Messrs. Robert Hamilton at Ballantrae, George Hutchiſon at Colmonell, and in the presbytery of Stranrawer, Alexander Turnbull at Kirkmaiden, John Dick at Inch, George Dick at Glenluce, and in the presbytery of Wigtoun, Andrew Lauder at Whithorn, and John Park at Mochrum, who ſucceeded me at Stranrawer; and with all theſe I have been at communions at Stranrawer.

V.

The fifth period of my life, I reckon from the time I was ſettled in the miniſtry at Ancrum, to this preſent February 1666. In Summer 1648. I had a call from the pariſh of Ancrum, an invitation from the presbytery of Jedburgh, and a preſentation from the earl of Lothian the Patron, and by act of the general aſſembly, that year was tranſported thither, and was received by the presbytery. I the rather inclined to that place, becauſe I found they were generally landwart ſimple people; who for ſome time before, had not had ſo much of the goſpel as to deſpiſe it. In the Harveſt following, I tranſported my family thither. I found the tranſporting very troubleſome, being above 100 miles and bad way, with a numerous family, ſix children, one of them ſucking the breaſt, four or five ſervants, and ſome furniture and books; yet the Lord brought us all ſafe thither. I dwelt a year or two in a houſe of the earl of Lothian's, till