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A48760
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A letter, written by that famous and faithful minister of Christ Mr John Livingstoun unto his parishoners of Ancram in Scotland, dated Rotterdam October 7. 1671.
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Livingston, John, 1603-1672.
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1671
(1671)
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Wing L2599; ESTC R216776
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17,702
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19
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prayer and give Him thanks if ye be straitned with business it is not so much the length of your Prayer that he regards as the Uprightness the Earnestnes of the heart but neglect not the dutie and if ye be without the hearing of others utter your voice it is sometime a great help but do it not to be heard of others sing also a Psalme or some part of a Psalme ye may learne some by heart for that purpose 3. Through the whole day labour to set the Lord alwayes before you as present to observe you and strengthen you for every dutie and then look over how the day hath been spent before ye sleep 4. Such as have Families set up the Worship of God in your Families as ye would avoid the wrath that shall be poured on the Families that call not on his name 5. As occasion offers of any honest Minister coming alongs neglect not the same and on the Lords Day go where ye can hear the Word sincerly preached by a sent Minister who will witness against the evils of the time without which I apprehend wharever a mans gifts be the Lord will not send the blessing Oxnam is not far off and I hope Mr Scot doth and will declare for the sworn Reformation and testify against the present defection but I dar not bid you hear any of the intruded Hirelings whom they call Curats I know some good men have heard or do hear some of them but I believe if all fear of inconvenience were removed they would do otherwayes If no occasion of a publick meeting be or if ye cannot go to it sanctifie the Lords Day in your Families or at least each of you in your own heart 6. Give no occasion to the World to say that ye neglect your Calling or are busie bodies in other mens matters or have any doublness in your worldly dealings a faithful carriage free of covetousness is a great ornament to the profession 7. Have a care of your Children that they be taught to read and have Bibles so soon as they can use them and take them with you to hear the Word preached and instruct them your selves the more diligently that publick means are scarce 8. Such as have any leasure read some good Books whereby ye may profite in knowledge and affection read now and then the Covenants the Confession of Faith and the longer Catechisme and the little Treatise printed with them I would recommend to you the writings of Mr Durham and Mr Binning and Mr William Gutrie and Mr An drew Gray especially Mr Rutherford's Letters I hope shortly ye shall be supplied with some more Copies of them as also any good pieces from England as Mr Allen or the like I dar not recommend Baxter to you he is a dangerous Man let Chasters and Standhil buy some such as they oan and lend them to others to be read 9. Any thoughts ye have of the business of the time examine them well by the word and present them oft to God by prayer and what ye get so confirmed be not easily moved therefrom although some Ministers should be of a contrair opinion for in those dayes sundrie of the common People have clearer light and steadier practice than some Ministers but be not proud or self willed in your own opinion 10 By any means see that ye be not drawn to a contempt of the Ministrie or Ministers in whom any thing of God really appeareth although some might have sliden in an houre of temptation but study all lawful wayes of union and healing yet so as ye approve nothing which the word and your conscience condemne 11. Strengthen your selves in the main grounds of Religion against Popery and read some short treatises for that purpose ye know not but it may be a great part of the trial of the time 12. Some Ministers have begun of late to question Christs imputed righteousness look uponthese whatever shew they may make of moderation and accurat walking as enemies to Jesus Christ and the salvation of souls 13. Keep you far very far from this last device of Satans Quakerisme which under colour of sobriety and patience overthrows all the grounds of Christian Religion and indeed they should not be looked-on as Christians themselves and the light within them which is also in all Pagans is all their Saviour converse not with them as much as ye can avoid conference with them the evil Spirit that is in them desires no better nor continual wrangling many are much mistaken if there be not much Devilry among them as some com'd off from them have testified 14. I know the course ceaseth now that was taken for providing the poore with meat but after your ability set apart some of your means for the poore I mean not the sturdie Vagabonds but poor Housholders especially those that have any good in them 13. Deal in all earnestness and love with any of your Neighbours whom ye perceive in a way that will destroy their souls visite your Neighbours in their sickness and drop something for their souls good 16. Let such as have been Elders and have not run the wicked course of the time know that their obligation ceaseth not but rather is increased to visite and oversee the Flock and warn and comfort as occasion requires 17. Forget not Christs Command to love your Enemies and pray for them that persecute you many a time our carnal anger and bitterness puts on a disguise as if it were zeal true love to God and our Neighbour would prompt us to many duties that now are forgot and to a better way of doing duties and yet keep us from being partakers of other mens sins 18. Guard your hearts from a carnal disposition in speaking or hearing of the miscarriages of others and let not that be all the matter of your discourse howbeit it may be part but there is more edifying to be speaking of what is good 19. I hear there is a rare work of grace begun of late in some not far from you in the borders of Northumberland I judge it were for your advantage if some of you such as are able went thither to be acquainted with them your Friend Henry Hall would easily make your acquaintance their fire edge might help to kindle-up old sitten-up professours yea if some of you who are yet graceless would go see their way they might be smitted with that blessed disease I fear ye shall hardly read my hand and yet it hath taken neerby as many dayes to write as there are pages but it was not fitting to make use of any others hand Let this Letter be read to all of the Parish who will be willing to hear it and to any that are gon out of it as Andrew Burkholme and Margaret Walker or any that used ordinarily to meet with us as Mrs Eliot Isabel Simpson and such others I know there is a great change since I left you by the death of some and coming in of others but I am sometime refreshed to look over the roll of the Parish as it was when I left you Desire from me Mr Henry and Mr William Erskin or any other of that sort to come now and then to visite and water you I could wish that when ye hear of any honest Merchant in Edinburgh or any other coming hither some of you would give them a particular account of both good and evil to bring to me I had a little account lately from John Tetchaâ— that made me both joyful and sad I shall write when any of my Sons are to come over that if they can they will come to you a day or two and bring me information how it is with you Now as I oan at this distance I embrace you all and all that used to join with us at our Communions I salute you all I bless you all I commend you all to God and the Word of His Grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified The rich and powerful Grace of the Lord JESUS CHRIST be with you all Thus wisheth Your loving and lawful Pastor JOHN LIVINGSTOUN Rotterdam 7. October 1671.