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

DIARY, 1637-1639
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ance in my doings, for the Lord never graunted me ane heart
to cry hot he had ane ear to hear and som work of favour in
hand; this was ever to me lyk posita causa, ponitur effectus, as
the first was lyk sublata causa ; thridly, both ane faire outward
calling directly calling me thairunto, and ane faire inward
calling be Gods Sprit commanding me to goe, speak, writ,
plead, and promising to be with me, with my sprit, wit,
judgment, memorie, invention, discretion, expression.
Upon the evening finding my old paine in my stomak to re-
turne and to remaine with me al night, on Mononday morning
haiving read the 14 and 19 verses of 2 Jeremt, ‘Is Israel ane
sclaive that he is wasted?’ and then, ‘ Haist thou not pro¬
cured this to thyselth in forsaking the Lord ?,’ I applyed it to
myselth, and then humbly submitted saul and body to the
Lord to be imployed in his service or not at his pleasure; that,
if he wald honor his unworthy, sinful servant with his imploy-
ments, he wald both be with his sprit and body, craiving
only that if the Lord requyred it of me he wald inaible me
in both; if he inaibled me not, eyther be dulnes of sprit or
seaknes of body, that he wald let me seie he requyred it
not of me, albeit in the submission of ane blank in the
Lords hand I had ane secret, earnest desyre of glorifying
God in that particular occasion, and som secret hope, notwith¬
anding this contrary appearance of inabilitie in mynd, seaknes
in body, that the Lord wald remove this impediment, evin
as this tyme tuelmonth, and befor my first mariage, and
usualy in his dealing with me, first schauing impediments
and then removing them to his mor immediat glory.
Upon Tuesday morning, quhyle I was earnest with my God S Dec.
to direct me quhat to doe, on the on pairt my heart was
acknouledging the happines of that honorable chairge to
pleade for God, his glory, his churche, unto the quhilk, if the
Lord elevated this poor unworthy dust and asches, I would
think and aesteime it in al respects, above al respects, the
most infinit favor that he could bestou upon man, follou on
it quhat could in this world, no matter, provyding God used
me as ane instrument for the working out of glory ; on the
uther pairt my inabilitie every way in conception, invention,
expression, health of body. First George Bailzie came in;