Page:Brief historical relation of the life of Mr. John Livingston Minister of the Gospel.pdf/41

( 41 ) whom I know both pious and wife; Meſſrs. David Dickſon, James Guthrie, and Patrick Gilleſpie, after ſome while’s dealing, prevailed with me to go. One word I fooliſhly ſpoke then to them, which many times thereafter met me: "That ere I condeſcended to go, and to have an hand in the conſequences that I apprehended would follow, I would chufe rather to condefcend, if it were the Lord’s will, to be drowned in the waters by the way."

That very day we landed at Camphier, Lothian and Libbertoun propounded, that letters might be wrote by the commiſſioners, to duke Hamiltoun, the earl of Lauderdale, and ſome other malignants, at the Hague, to come to Breda, to help forward the treaty. This was not agreed to, but the propounding was no good prelage of a bleſsing, and ſhewed what sort of men ſome were minded to make uſe of. But howſoever all theſe came.

When we were come to Breda, it was put on my lord Caſſils, to make ſome ſpeech to the king at our friſt receiving, and on me to make another ſpeech after him, in name of the Church. This ſpeech I did prepare; wherein were ſome things a little free, ſuch as I thought became a miniſter to ſpeak, concerning the king himſelf, and his father’s houſe, and the counſel and ways he had followed. This I did communicate firſt to the commiſſioners of the church, after to thoſe of the State. But it was once and again so altered with delations and additions, that it was nothing like itſelf. Every thing that was thought harſh, behoved to be delate, and ſome things added, ſuch as would be ſavoury in the entry of the treaty to the king and court. I thought it was not my part to hand peremptory for a paper of my own drawing, and they told me it was not my own mind I was to follow, but theirs; whereupon I agreed to all. So dangerous it is for a man of a ſimple diſpoſition, to be yoked with theſe who by wit, authority, and boldneſs can overmaſter him. When we began firſt to keep any meetings, the commiſſioners of the State did chooſe Caſſils to be our preſident, and after continued him during all the time. Some of us at firſt thought it a benefit, to have him preſident, of whom we had moſt confidence; but we did Rh