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

112
DIARY OF LORD WARISTON
Mr. Alexander,17 c. Mark 27 v. ‘Bot Jesus said unto hir1 (to the
Syrophoenician), ‘Let the children first be filled, for it is not meat
to tak the childrens meat, and to cast it unto dogs.1 Quherin he
insisted first on the roughnes of Chryst ansuear to hir; siklyk to
Hezekiah 38 Isayah; and the wind, fyre, earthquaik going befor
his appearing to Elijah; quhilk the Lord did for to schau us the
desert of sine, to augment our repentance, and to mak us the
mor sensible of his blissings. Thairafter he gaive som marques of
Gods children, 1. fayth, 1 Jhon 5 c. 1 v.; 2. love, 1 Jhon 4 c.
7 v.; 3. ane goodly lyfe, 1 Jhon 3 c. 9 v.; 4. ane desyre of
grouth in thir graces, 2 Peter 3 c. 18 v.; 5. they overcome the
world, the pryd of lyfe, the lust of the eie, and the concupiscence
of the heart, Revela. 2 c. 7 v. He told 3 properties of dogs,
to barque, byte, and returne to the vomite, 2 Peter 2 c. 22 v.
Then he insisted on Gods first cheif and also aboundant caire
of his children on thes words, ‘ Let the children be first filled.1
Thairafter I remembred 2 things; first, befor my going to the
comunion, that the Lord wald be wealpleased to mak this my
second eating at his taible lyke Elyah his second eating, 1
Kings 19 c. 8 v., ‘ And he arose, did eat and drink, and went in
the strenth of that meat 40 dayes and 40 nights unto Horeb
the mount of God1; secondly, that both the Sundays after my
coming from the taible they wer ever reading Chryst prayer in
the 17 c. of Jhon, quhilk was ever unto me on of the most com¬
fortable chapters in al the Bible. I remember Abigals meat-
ing of David, and Absolons sending for Joab, did me mutch
good. On Wedensday night in the yaird God moved me to
ask the sight of my corruption and of his mercies. Then,
having blissed God for keaping of my body befor my manage,
I read with divers motions the 7 c. 1 Corinth., and thairafter
in ane unspeakable maner poured I out my heart unto God
that he wald not let my sinfulnes interrupt the course of his
glorifying himselth and asdifying others, quhilk he had begune
to doe during my manage.
\jol. 68.] On Foorsday morning fra 5 to 7 heurs, being (as I had bein
siklyk the day befor) in the yaird, I was extraordinarly moved
by ane tuofold petition unto God ; first, that he wald so non
1 Mr. Alexander Thomson. See note, p. 10.