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

146
DIARY OF LORD WARISTON
adversite; live not lyk Jeroboam or Saule and thou schalt not
returne with them sadd, as thou came afield. Every word of
this sermon seemeth spoken unto me for my present con¬
solation and direction.
After sermon, the first thought came in my mynd was that
God, quho was so gracious in comforting me under my trouble,
wald be as gracious by delyvring me in his auin tyme from it;
as also he, that gaive me the heart to releave the distressed
evin above my pouer, wald for that end augment my pouer.
Then I send to the poor in the tolbuith 3 dolors out of
obedience to Gods joyning ever togither the giving of almes
unto fasting and praying. Then in my sisters gallery my
heart melted lyk waiter in ane extraordinar maner, seing
nothing in me for to discontinuat Gods wrayth or move his
love, hot on the contraire al things, yea evin my best actions
by reason of thair imperfections, deserving yea drauing doune
Gods wrayth on me, and withholding his love from me.
Quherat being wonderfully humbled unto the verry hells, and
going desperatly out of myselth unto Chryst, I was on a
sudainte comforted by that of Malachi 3 c. 6 v., ‘ I am the Lord I
chainge not, therfor ye sones of Jacob ar not consumed ’; as also
by recalling to my mynd Gods bygon calling me then quhen
I was in the verry mouth of hell, deserving the deapest pit
thairof. Quhat sayd I to my saule ? Despaire not at the sight
of thy abhominable corruption quhilk thou thinks wil continuat
his wrayth against the and discontinuat his love towards the;
doest thou not remember hou God, in his free love to the
through Chryst, did passe over al thy transgressions at thy
calling; and, quhyle thou did most deserve hell by ane hellisch,
mor nor diabolical, guiltynes of al kynkynd of abominations,
that evin then he raysed the, being dead in sinnes and trespasses,
5 Rom., 2 Ephes., evin not only against thy deserts, hot also
contraire to thy desyrs, quhilk only wer bent on hellisch conceits
and gaive the right unto the kingdome of heaven ? Will he,
being unchangeable in himselth and in his gifts, 11 c. 29 v.
Rom., not far rayther nou passe by the transgressions of the,
being his chyld, quhilk let to attest him that the evil quhilk nou
thou hes doone thou waldst it not, and the good quhilk thou