now relinquished a favourite pursuit,-a pursuit that promised the most brilliant temporal advantages; and, after much serious and severe self-examination; after reading, and meditating, and fasting, and praying, again and again, with a view to obtain counsel of the Lord, upon the subject of his present inquiry,—after carefully arranging and weighing the arguments for and against it, he arrived at the full conviction that a necessity was laid upon him to preach the Gospel,-there can be no question, it is repeated, with any candid and reflecting person, that he was indeed called of God to become an ambassador of the Prince of Peace. And, it is scarce possible to image to one's self a more interesting object than a youth, in the nineteenth year of his age, shut up for hours together in a retired room, that no eye might see, and no ear hear him but God's,-there, upon his bended knees, with all humility and fervour of spirit, seeking to learn of Him, with whom is the residue of the Spirit, whether or not he shall go forward to proclaim the precious tidings of salvation to a dying world.-How shockingly impious, in the eyes of all genuine Christians, and how contemptible in the eyes even of the world, if contrasted with his, must be the conduct of those, who, without giving any evidence of piety, assume the ministerial office! To authorize its assumption, the pos

session of grace, a certain degree of intellectual cultivation, an acquaintance with the system of re vealed truth, and the approbation of the Church, duly expressed, are prerequisites, which common sense pronounces indispensable; but, in addition to these things, it is necessary that there be such a drawing of his heart to the work, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, and such a concurrence of outward providences, in his case, as will show satisfactorily to the individual proposing to undertake it, the approbation of God.-There are many great and good men in the church, in whose conversion and call to the ministry, as far as known, nothing very striking or remarkable can, perhaps, be discovered; yet, it is a fact, and the reader may possibly be able to refer to instances in verification of the fact, which have come within his own observation, that, when a person is in a manner, somewhat extraordinary, brought to a knowledge of the truth, and is suddenly diverted from a business which he had designed to pursue, and is constrained, contrary to antecedent views and calculations, to devote himself to the ministry of the Gospel, he is subsequently distinguished, in a pre-eminent degree, by the divine blessing upon his labours. To the writer, this appears to be an ordinary procedure of Providence; and the sequel will show, that the Lord was preparing Mr. Livingston for a great

work, and made him, through a long life, a burning and shining light in the Church.

The important question being now solved to the satisfaction of his own mind, he deemed it proper at once to acquaint his father with the change that had taken place in his views. For reasons, which it is unnecessary to relate, he was apprehensive that he would not readily be permitted to quit the study of law; but the result of the disclosure of his wishes was very different from what he had anticipated, and thrilled his heart with delight. His father promptly and cheerfully consented to his commencing the study of theology; and, for his encouragement, added a promise of such pecuniary assistance, as he might need in the prosecution of the good design.

CHAPTER III.

THE STATE OF THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA, ABOUT THE YEAR 1765.

The Reformed Dutch Church in this country, at the time that Mr. Livingston resolved to seek preparation for the service of the sanctuary, was in a very unhappy and critical state. Before proceeding further in the account of his life, that some things to be stated in it, may be fully understood; that his disinterested and useful offices in behalf of this church, which will be described in course, may be seen in a proper light, the peculiar difficulties then existing, so inimical to her peace and prosperity, must be unfolded.

It will be necessary to take a cursory retrospect of the Church from her rise, in order fairly to exhibit the nature and influence of these difficulties.

Nova Belgia, or New Netherland, as the part of America claimed or settled by the Dutch was originally called, comprehended a considerable extent of country. The earliest settlements they

made, however, of any consequence, were at the head of the navigation of Hudson's river, and on the south-west point of the island Manhattans, in the State of New York, where they established themselves in the beginning of the seventeenth century.

The first emigrants were men of a bold, enterprising turn, whose chief motive for leaving their native land was, no doubt, the acquisition of wealth. They came under a patent from their High Mightinesses the lords States General of the United Netherlands, and a few years after (in 1621) were placed under the care of the Dutch West India Company, to whom the States General, for the purpose of promoting the settlement of a colony here, had then made a grant of the country.

Having been educated within the pale of the national Reformed Church, they brought with them a strong attachment to its doctrines, worship, and government; and, however deeply interested they were in secular pursuits, it is certain, that very soon after their arrival, they took measures for enjoying and preserving among them, in its purity, the religion of their fathers.

The authentic records of the Church of NewYork commence with the year 1639; but there is