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

DIARY, 1637-1639 273
to subscryve the petition, and my Ladie Merschals schedding
of tears.
Upon Mononday, at night, Mr. David Dick told me that
my Lord Laudin and he had bein resolving to lay the chairge
of pleading upon me if eyther the noblemen or the tonne of
Edr. wer troubled. I aunsuered, The Lord kneu my unsuffi-
ciencie; hot if the Lord gaive me ane lauful calling, both
inwardly and outwardly, I durst not doubt of his assistance,
quhairof I had so manifest proofes in busines concerned not
his glory so mutch, so that I wald neyther refuyse the calling,
nor distrust the assistance, quhairof he gaive me ane litle
taiste in the verry present anent exposition of the act 84
against al convocations. Thinking upon this in the morning,
I was glaid hot to haive ane thought that Quho wayts hot
this was the occasion quhairunto al Gods extraordinarie deal- Motives of
ing hes had som relation to in prepairing me to it; and hot dePendance-
to haive som hope of on libertie once to declare the Lords
goodnes and to mainteane his worschip, to be but ane mean
instrument thairof, my heart conceaved it as ane great
happines, et gestiebam animo to think thair was a possibilitie
of the Lords mynd to glorifie himselth in sum measure, and
in ane immediat maner, be my calling, indevors, and experience;
my saule cryed, ‘ Oh for a calling, ane occasion, ane assistance,
ane happie succes thairin to Gods glorie.’
Upon Foorsday, the 24, quhilk I set apairt for me and my 24. Fast,
whol familie to mourne and fast, in the morning publikly
I read first Mr. David Dicks, and then Mr. Andreu Ramsays,
motives to this fast for pardone of our auin sins, and the sins
of the whol churche and land; for the praeveining of the
Lords imminent and incumbent judgments, especyaly the
spritual ones; and for procuring a blissing to our supplica¬
tions, and al uther lawful meanes used for his glory, word,
and worschip; upon the quhilk, at great lenth, my toung was
loosed in publik to confesse the first, deprecat the second,
and pray for the last. At elevin hours I begoud in privat,
and went through al the progres of my lyfe, both of Gods
goodnes to me and my wickednes against him ; I come evin to
my going to Fraunce, quhen, my wyfe coming up, I fell doune
with her and confessed the sins we had committed against