Selections from the Writings of Patrick Livingstone

FROM

THE WRITINGS OF

PATRICK LIVINGSTONE;

A FAITHFUL MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL
IN THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, AND A PATIENT
SUFFERER FOR THE SAME;

WHO WAS BORN AT MONTROSE, IN SCOTLAND, IN 1634, AND DIED IN 1694.

NOW FIRST PUBLISHED

FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT VOLUME.

TOGETHER

WITH A BRIEF MEMOIR OF HIM.

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with
our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of
life-declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our
fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."- John i. 1, 8.
And they overcame him [the accuser of the brethren] by the blood of the Lamb, and by
the word of their testimony: and they loved not their lives unto the death."-Rev. xii, 11.

LONDON:

CHARLES GILPIN, 5, BISHOPSGATE STREET WITHOUT.

PRINTED BY JOHN HARRISON, MANCHESTER.

1847.

THE following Selection has been made from a small quarto book, in manuscript, containing 360 pages, by Patrick Livingstone; and which it is believed is the only copy extant of his collected works. It bears the appearance of having been revised and corrected, about half through, by the author himself; which leads to the inference that he was removed by death, before he had completed the revision for the Press. It has seemed desirable to save such valuable writings from oblivion, and to bring them before the public eye; therefore this selection is now offered, which embraces the most instructive and important parts of the old volume above alluded to.

An attempt has been made to curtail some of the repetitions which occur; but it was found so difficult to effect this without lessening the force and clearness of the sentences, and thereby doing injustice to the author's concern, that the task has been relinquished, except in a few instances where the sense would permit; and it is hoped that the sincere and honest-hearted searcher after Divine Truth and Wisdom, will look more at the matter than the manner that he will look beyond the surface, and appreciate the substance, through this testimony to the power and sufficiency of heavenly Truth within, however unpolished the style of composition may seem to the criticising disposition of the worldly wise. For such valiants as Patrick Livingstone and his fellow-labourers in the pure Cause were experimental testifiers of "that which they had heard, and seen with their eyes, which they had looked upon, and their hands had handled,"—and these cared not to please the vain mind and corrupt taste in any; but their aim was to satisfy the longing soul, and to reach the witness for God in every conscience; believing in the practical import of that saying of Solomon's, "The full soul loatheth the honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." Proverbs xxvii. 7,