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

WARISTON’S
MEMENTO QUAMDIU VIVAS
O most gracious God, and to me ever ane most merciful in
forgiving, and ane most indulgent Fayther in giving mor nor
ever my heart could desyre, as thou hast oft greaved my soule
unto the verry death by presenting unto my memorie the dool-
ful catolog of my abhomanable works, words, and thoughts,
desyrs, desseings, or resolutions since ever I kneu good or evil,—
quhilk sight ever maid my knees to smite on against another,
as Belschazzars at the sight of mene mene tekel, and rent my
heart as Hezekiah his cloths at the hearing of Rabschakeths
blaschemies; and, on the uther pairt, as thou haist oft comforted
me not only by pacyfing the crys of ane accusing Sathan, ane
condemning conscience, and ane executing vengence, by the
louder cry of that blood quhilk cryeth for better things nor
the blood of Abel, hot also haist overjoied my heart by mak¬
ing me seie the catolog of thy bygone mercies, indulgent to
me above al admiration by turning al that befel me unto my
manifest weal be ane special overruling providence, quherof al
the footsteps ever dropped fatnesse unto me, and ever maid my
coupe to overfloue; so now, O Fayther, my soule, quhom thou
haist oft dejected and oft comforted, beggeth, craveth instantly
and humbly, at thy faytherly kyndnes throu the merits of the
Lord Jesus, that thou wald opin my eies for to seie and sancti-
feie my memoire for to remember al the footsteps of thy
faytherly wrayth in casting me doune by this crosse of thy
faytherly love, in assisting me under it, and delyvering me from
it, that this experience of thy favour may strenthen my fayth
in the day of neu troubles and that throu Christ Jesus, to
quhom with the Fayther and Holy Ghost be al praise.
My soule, never forget, bot ever remember to Gods glorie
and thy comfort, hou in the 16 year of thy age, in the
moneths of May, of June, and Julie, quhilest thou was ane
Latiner, God delt wonderfully with the principally at the
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