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

34
DIARY OF LORD WARISTON
the day and maner of thy distresse, hou thou was confounded
by the sight of thos three, of thy guiltines of sinnes bygon, of
Gods present wrayth afflicting the, of thos manifold tenta-
tions to sin both in ane privat and publik lyfe quhilk wer
attending on the to suallo the up. Heir God had ane pro¬
vidence in preparing the for to knou the use and utilite of thos
three cardinal graces, fayth, love, and hope, al three releaving
the from thy threefold burden ; for, as the Lord by his servant
told the, faith assureth ane man that thair is ane God; 2, that
this God is his God; 3. that this his God is reconciled to him
in the blood of the Lambe quho died for the sinnes of the
world ; 4. that this his God, reconciled in Christ, is unchange¬
able in his affections, loving to the end quhomsoever he loved,
and also so provident for his children as, with his sone, to give
them al things and to let them want nothing is good for
them. Secondly, that, as fayth is ane breastplaite and ane
schield to extinguisch al the fierie dairts of Sathan accusing
for sinne already committed, so love was ane breastplaite
against his dairts of tentation to sinne, making us reason
with Joseph, 39 Genes. 9 v., ‘Behold my maister haith
comitted al that he hath to my hand except only the quho
is his wyfe, hou can I doe then this great wikednes against
God ?1 yea God haive given himselth to me to be my por¬
tion, hou then can I delyte to offend him quho is goodnes
itselth and to my saule the cheif god ? Set therfor thy
affections, O saule, on the Lord, and watche over thy senses
inward and outward, specialy thy eies and thy ears, least, with
Eva looking on the apple and hearkning to Sathan, thou be
ane pray to the devil, to the flesch, or to the world, thy suorne
enemies. And thridly, that the hope of salvation sould uphald
us under al our troubles, yea mak us say with the apostle the
5 to Romans 2 and 3 v., ‘ We rejoyce in hope of the glory of
God, and we glory in tribulations; knouing that tribulation
worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience
hope: and hope maketh not aschamed.’ Heir, O saule, remember
hou thou was comforted seing God as it wer hearing thy
mornings prayer, and uphalding the by three stilts of fayth
love and hope, quhil thou was pressed doune to the lauer hels
under thos three forsaid burdens until in his auine tyme he