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

MEMENTO QUAMDIU VIVAS
147
hes omitted thou waldst haive done it ? Be therfor of good
comfort, for, as the Lord lives quho was found of the quhen
thou sought him not, he wil find the in mercie far mor quhen
thou so earnestly seaks it of him. Yea on Mononday after-
noone, quhyle I was wryting this, my mynd was extraordinary
illuminated and comforted by the sight of Gods free, un¬
deserved, yea undesyred love in my calling from hell to heaven,
from sinne to repentance. Then God mooved me extraordinarly
by this meditation that affliction was the tryal of affection, that
nou my mother and al my freinds styved nou for to proove
compassionat and affectionat unto me, so that, as God had
found me cleaving to him alone in my greatest distresses, nou
it was the day of my trying the constancy of his freindschip.
Then with floods of tears and unexpressable groans repeated
I unto God al my petitions, ever mourning especialy, and craiv-
ing pardon for the imperfections of my fasting, confessing,
praying, praysing.
Haiving then meditat on the sermon I went unto the
curche; and quhyle I am sitting on my knees at my privat
prayer desyring instantly God for to speak som word of
direction or consolation to my saule, evin quhyle I am
praying as Daniel, 9 c. 21 v., the reader read the 38 v. of 8 c.
Luik, ‘ Nou the man out of quhom the devils wer depairted
besought Jesus that he might be with him : hot Jesus sent him
away, saying, Returne to thyne auine house, and schau hou
great things God haith doone unto thee. And he went his way,
and publisched throughout the quhol citie hou great things
Jesus had doone unto him’; of thequhilk every word strak me
to the heart as ane oracle from heaven setling me in my
calling, so that I was forced on my knees sitting stil to prayse
God for the wonders of his indulgent providence. Thairafter
he reading the 9 c. of Luik and coming to the 57 v., ‘ A certain
man sayd unto him, Lord, I wil follou the quhithersoever thou
goest. And Jesus sayd unto him foxes haive hols, the birds
haive nests; hot the Son of man haith not quhair to lay his
head. And he sayd unto another, Follou thou me’; quhilk setled
me againe, seing Chryst as it wer dissuading me from follouing
the ministery and calling som uthers quho had no mynd to it.
[fol. 76.]