Series 1 > Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston of Wariston 1632-1639

INTRODUCTION
xxvii
new liturgy was the first step towards the re-introduction of
Romish superstition, he began to give a wider scope to his
studies and took up the highly important but delicate subject
of the king’s powers as a constitutional monarch to compel
the nation to accept such changes in the services of the Church
as he might think fit to impose. He proceeded to write on
the subject; and his paper, prepared in the short space of eight
days, was, he says, in respect of conception, expression and
order, better than he could have believed possible, his natural
parts having been used by the Lord as it were but conduit pipes
through which he distilled its excellence.1 His impulsive nature
was more and more inclining him to active participation in
the opposition. In what he believed to be his communion
with God, ‘The Lord, as it were, speired, “Quhat if I put upon
the this difficult peice of service nou in hand ? ” My saule
aunsuered, “ Lord, thou knouest the stammeringnes, or rayther
the unskraiped overhaistings of my toungue, the schilpitnes of
my wit, the unclear, unsolid, undistinctnes of my judgment, the
sliperie sliderines of my memoire; quhat shal I say, O Lord? thou
knouest thy servant ten thousand tymes better nor he doeth
himselth, hou ungifted, unfit, unready, unaible for so weighty
a peice of service of sik importance for thy glorie, thy churche,
the staite, etc. Yet, O Lord, if I kneu that al thy former
favors aymed at this: that thou requyred this as the main deutie
of my calling; that this was on of the main occasions thou
maid me ever to ask and promised to graunt, that thou did
both outwardly’, and inwardly give me ane faire, sure, un¬
controverted calling to it, and layed ane necessitie of it upon
me, I durst not doubt, notwithstanding of my natural inabilities,
yea incapibilities, bot that the Lord by his immediat presence,
assistance, influence, wald and could supply al defects; wald
and could infuse al gifts and graces aunsuerable to his
calling and requisit to his work; wald and could by
1 Pp. 275, 278.