Early Ministry
After graduating, he went to stay with his father at Lanark where he continued to study. Often he would preach in his father`s church and sometimes he would be asked to do likewise in other parishes. Quothquan, near the village of Thankerton, was another. It was while preaching there that he discarded written sermons forever. As he explained, "....more assistance in the enlarging of those points and more motion in my own heart, than I ever had found before, and after that I never wrote all at length, but only in notes."
In 1625 he was licensed to preach but because of his strongly held Presbyterian views, the Archbishop of St Andrews refused him a parish and indeed ordered him to desist from preaching altogether.
He was sent for by Lord Kenmuir in April 1626 with a view to his taking up a charge at Alnwith, Galloway. There was no church there at the time but was promised one would be built by the August. He declined the offer as there was no likelihood of his preaching for the duration of this period. He promised to return when the church was completed but difficulties arose and the project did no materialise.
He tried in vain to attract calls from several parishes but each time was thwarted by the Bishops or the General Assembly on the pretext that they were better served by others. In 1626 he was asked by Lord Torphichen to visit him at his house in Calder. The aged minister of Torphichen Church had persuaded the noble lord, patron of the church, to invite Livingstone to minister in his place.
Livingstone preached there for a month and during that time the old minister died. Livingstone was asked to take over the ministry in his place, but the Archbishop of St Andrews, John Spottieswood refused to sanction it on the basis of his continuing non-conformity.
This would seem to be expected from Spottieswood considering his reputation as a staunch Episcopalian and his more than enthusiastic support for measures designed to curb the spread of Presbyterianism.
Spottieswood (1546-1639) graduated from the College of Glasgow and for a time assisted his father in ministering the church at Calder where the elder was appointed pastor in 1548. He helped to carry through the Five Articles of Perth, King James`s changes in Scottish usage despite being less than enamoured with them. He did his best to ignore the widespread failure to observe them. Later, under Charles l, his influenced waned.
Torphichen and the Earl of Linlithgow both interceded on Livingstone`s behalf, but the Archbishop informed them the vacant charge had been promised to a Mr George Hannah, at the same time denying that the reason for his witheld sanction was based on Livingstone`s non-conformity. However, he would not hinder John`s appointment to another parish when and where a vacancy arose.
A strong report circulated at the time that Mr Hannah or his brother had bribed Spottieswood by giving him 500 merks Scots.
Having heard of his recent experience at Torphichen, and his failure to secure the parish as his own despite the influential backing of others, the Earl and Countess of Wigton suggested he might stay with them and preach in the Hall until such times other employment might become available.
He jumped at this opportunity and agreed on the spot. Being only ten miles from Torphichen, he found many who had supported him there joined him at Cumbernauld for communion.
He remained there for the next two and a half years, occasionally joining his father at Lanark, and travelling from place to place fulfilling invitations to speak.
Several times he had been invited to Glasgow by Mr Robert Scott to preach there. On 28th January, 1629 Mr Scott was near to death and Livingstone was in attendance at his bedside. Shortly before he expired, Mr Scott was lying motionless when he opened his eyes, and throwing his cap from off his head, exclaimed, "I have now seen the Lord, and have heard him say,`set a stool, and make way for my faithful servant, Mr Robert Scott.` "
