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

MEMENTO QUAMDIU VIVAS
49
groaneth, and wilt thou not hear nor help ? Yes, Lord, I hope
against hope that thou wilt doe both in thy auin tyme. Then
by Gods providence the people was singing the 30 Ps., and
when we cam to the 5 v.:—
For why ? His auger but a space
Doth last, and slak againe.
But in His favor and His grace
Alwayes doth life remaine.
Though grips of greif and pangues ful sorre
Schal lodge with me al night:
The Lord to joie schal us restore
Befor the day be light.
Oh then my heart melted againe ever repeating thos tuo
words (! grips of greif and pangues ful sore 1) and praying the
Lord to keape his promise. When we came therafter to
the 9 v.:—
Quhat gaine is in my blood, said I,
If death destroy my days ?
0 David, cryed I, thair is mutch and great gaine, for my
miseries wil end and my faelicite beginne. Then quhen they
read the 6 c. of Mark at the 22 v., ‘ Herod said unto the
damsel, Ask of me quhatsoever thou wilt, and I wil give it the ;
and he suare unto hir, quhatsoever thou schalt ask of me, I
wil give it the, unto the half of my kyngdome’; and at the 26,
‘ and the king was exceading sorry; yet for his oths saik, and
for thair saiks that sat with him, he would not reject her’; at
the reading of thos words I cryed, ‘ O Lord, nou I remember the
last year befor my mariage when Mr. Alexander Thomson was
preaching on that text, being oppressed by the sprite of bond¬
age, having thy promise not limited unto the half of thy king-
dome, confirmed with ane solemme oath of “ verryly, verryly,
1 say unto you, whatsoever ye schal ask the Fayther in mv
naime, he wil give it you,” 16 Jhon 24 v., I asked of the the head
of my lust in ane charger, and my dely verie from the tyrannic of
it by thy blissing me in my mariage; and then calling to mynd
God had hard my prayer, then I called on him, ‘ Nou, Lord, I
conjure the againe by thy promise and oath to grant my
requeast nou, seing my extremite is greater nou nor ever, and
the delyvrie quhilk I craive wil tend inor to thy glory and to
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