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

140
DIARY OF LORD WARISTON
raise of Gods word as that (cal on me and I wil delyver the)
sould uphold me against al the contraire apearances in the
world; yea and I cryed, ‘ O Lord, non for any apearance thair is
no sutch ane match in the world for me, eyther in respect of
woman means and allye, or of my freinds contentment and
advancing me in my calling, quhik was my tuo cheif motives
thairto; and, suppose thair wer sutch ane, yet no apearance of
my obtaining it; nevertheles I live by fayth and I am assured
that on day in thyne auine tyme (if ever thou enclyne my
mynd to manage) thou both can and wil blisse me as visibly
and extraordinarly in my second mariage as thou did in the
first, suppose thair be no apearance at al of it in the world.’
Then, crying so ardently and Ueleaving so confidently in God, I
took, going up and doune the long aylay, the trimbling and
cold schuddring quhilk I use to halve in extraordinar motions.
Theirafter, with admirable confidence, did I close my prayers
with prayses, remembring Chryst speatch, Faithful servant in
litle—bot in this sense, thou that trusts in God contraire
apearances in thy affliction nou. That night I was wonder¬
fully comforted, slumbering and half waking, by innumbrable
passages of scripture assuring me of Gods assisting, directing,
and delyvring me. Thairafter being fully wakned I remembred
only on passage, 2 Samuel 10 c. 12 v., quhair Joab sayeth to
the people, ‘ Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our
people, and for the cities of our God : and the Lord doe that
which seemeth him good.’
24 Aug. On Saturday morning I confessed Bifields 14 c., and added
thairto Gods promise in the 10 c. Romans 13, ‘ Quhosoever
calleth on the name of the Lord schal be saived.’ Thairafter, in
meditation, finding myselth ignorant of the verry grounds of
religion, I was confirmed thereby in the choyse of my calling ;
and thairafter I thought God was nou trying my love, by
setting me as ane bairne in the midst of the floore to seie
quhom to first I wald runne too, and to try if I loved him not
accompagnied with wordlie blissings, as I loved him in my
prosperite, and to seie if I wald tak up my crosse and follou
him, to knou quhom fra I wald seak help, quhom to I wald
most trust in for help; and, reflecting my thought that God
seing I ranne only to him, I cryed only to him, and trusts only