Livingston, John

Livingston, John a noted Scottish Presbyterian divine, was born in 1603, and was educated at Glasgow, where he took the degree of A.M. in 1621. He entered the ministry, and soon distinguished himself as an able preacher. A zealous Covenanter, he opposed the episcopal government of the Church after the Restoration, and on this account suffered many inconveneniences. Very remarkable in his life was the result which followed his preaching on a special fast-day appointed by the "Kirk of Shotts," June 21, 1630. He was at this time domestic chaplain to the countess of Wigton. Later he became minister at Aneram. He was twice suspended from his pastoral office, but, his opposition to the government continuing, he was banished the kingdom in 1663. He retired to Holland, and became minister of a Scottish church at Rotterdam. There he died in 1672. He wrote his Autobiography (Glasgow, 1754, 12mo); also Lives of Eminent Scottish Divines (1754, 8vo). See Chambers, Biog. Dict. of eminent Scotsmen, s.v.; A. Gunsn, Memoirs of John Lisvingston (N.Y. 1829); Gorton, Biog. Dict. volume 2, s.v.