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

20
DIARY OF LORD WARISTON
only by sinning against Gods precepts bot against his mercies,
by unthankfulness for and abuse of his blissings, and turning
them to be causes of securite and impaenitence in sinne and so
breaking al thy bygon voues maid to God so oft in comunions,
in hearing of sermons, and in privat prayers, and bakslyding
mor and mor from my love of God or thought of godlines; al
thir my sinnes (quhilk I cannot set doune in write) on the on
pairt crying for vengeance, the devil accusing me of far may
and redoubling his yesternight tentation with ane uther quherof
the verry fear drouned me, and God seiming to hear thair crys
and having begun to inflict his punischments, the sight of his
present wrayth with the fear of greater jugements so con¬
founded my saule as never any of Gods children was nearer to
be drouned in the pit of desperation; my terrors was so horrible,
my troubles so comfortles, and my fears so hoples, and al so
excessivly vehement as my saule was thrauen unto hell out of
the verry fear of hell. Bot my extremite was the Lords opor-
tunite, for then the Sprite of God begoud to cry in me with
thos sighs and sobs inenarrable; then Chryst, audibly and visibly
to the eies and ears of my saul, begoud to intercead for me;
then the Fayther said to my saule, ‘ Be of god comfort thy
sinnes ar forgiven the and, seing I am reconciled to the, thou
may be assured I wil provide for al the rest to my auin glory
and thy comfort.’
\fol. 11.] Remember, O saule, quhat ease thou fand then in thy
troubles, and hou the crosse of Chryst sueatned the bitternes
of al thy crosses; remember the Saturday befor thou had read
in Mr. William Struthers book of affliction1 2 works quhilk ane
Christian ought to doe under affliction,—to repent and to cal on
Gods naime; bot for the uther 2 of consolation and patience
thou could not get them read til Mononday. Remember also
hou thou told Mr. Robert Bailzie after supper both the maner
1 Mr. William Struthers, ‘a very pious and learned, and perhaps the most
eloquent and renouned preacher of his time.’ He was translated from Glasgow
6n the division of Edinburgh into four parishes in 1625, and appointed to the
North-West Quarter or High Church. Constant Moderator of the Presbytery
of Edinburgh (Craufurd, p. 107). He died November 9, 1633, aged about
fifty-five. Three days before his death he bestowed his blessing in a few
touching words upon Wariston on the morning of the day when he was called to
the bar. See p. 164.