Diary of Alexander Jaffray, provost of Aberdeen

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they, both of them, (the one having judicially con-
fessed the fact,) escape the sentence ; — upon consi-
deration of this, and many such horrid guiltinesses
committed in the land, 1 was desiring to be humbled
before the Lord ; and, more especially, that such sins
should go without more strict inquiry and censure.
These Scriptures being considered, may give much
matter of humiliation to such as fear the Lord, in
such cases, to make them mourn for the sins and
abominations of the land. Hosea, iv. 1, 2, " The
Lord hatii a controversy with the inhabitants of the
land, because there is no truth nor mercy, nor know-
ledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying,
and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery,
they break out, and blood touclietli blood." Also,
Jer. ix. 12, and xii. 11; and again, Isai. lix. 12, to
15. " Our transgressions are multiplied before thee,
and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions
are with us ; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
in transgressing and lying against the Lord, and de-
parting away from our God, speaking oppression
and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart
words of falsehood. And judgraei\t is turned away
backward, and justice standeth afar off," &c.
The 11th day. Having, some days before, been
upon the consideration of the reasons, why I con-
ceive it not lawful [for me,] to partake in the ordi-
nance of the Lord's supper, as it is here in this nation
administered ; 1 was, tliis elay, pertinently spoken to
by Mr. James Home, from that text, James, i. 20 ;
and had given divers good qualifications of zeal in
contending for the Truth, whicli were very closely to
my case ; such as these. — First, Right zeal in con-
tending for any truth of God, would be accompanied