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

274
DIARY OF LORD WARISTON
God under the relations of man and wyfe, both by omission of
mutual deuties, especyaly quhairin we aught mutualy to help
on another, and by commission of thos sins quhilk accom-
pagniest oftest that estait as exces of carnal affection, wan-
tonnes in speetches, gestures, superffluities every way, etc.
Thairafter I went doune near on afternoone; and, yets being
closed, the Lord moved me first to think, for praepairing us to
prayer, the thrid chapter of Jeremiah; quhilk being read, the
Lord brought to my mynd the last note in his ouvertures for
remedie, and in his ordinarie conferences with me, to apply to
myselth and familie quhat I had red ; quhairupon I was assisted
to contineu the application the space of ane houre until the
Voue. 14 v., with sick inward light to my auin mynd, and clearing of
it to uthers, as I fand Gods immediat blissing on it, quhilk
maid me resolve eyther apairt, or at mail in my familie, never
to read the word without maiking some present use and
application of it; quhairin I thought the Lord assured me that
I sould reape by it both ane greater light of spritual knouledge
and heate of spritual motion, the decay quhairof in both the
Lord imputed to my useles litle reading and hearing. Nou I
pray the Lord to inaible me to doe this deutie, and to find this
fruite in it, as somtymes I begoud to remember I had found
in the three moneths of Juny, July, August in my fyftein
year in my mothers gallerie, out in Spadies, also in Dalkeyth ;
in Castres; befor my first mariage; and most of al under my
crosse. After this application I fand the Lord assist me to goe
through Mr. Andreu thrie poynts, in confession of my auin
sins, the sins of my familie, yea of the quhol churche and
nation; in deprecating the Lords judgments, especyaly the
spritual ones, upon our saules and posteritie; and in praying
for his blissings, especyaly the continuance of his glory, word,
and worschip in piety, puritie and pouer, and grant of ane
happy succes to al lauful means for the samin, that this quhol
churche and staite may give to the Lord quhat is his, and to
Confession. Caesar quhat is his. After this publik exercise, and direction
of my whol familie,—every on apairt, man, woman,—to goe to
the Lord, and to be particular with him in thair confession,
deprecation, and supplication, I went up to my chamber and
past throu the rest of my lyfe, in the quhilk, and al the tymes