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

DIARY, 1637-1639
285
look over my rools on the on pairt and my evidences on the
other; he maid me to acknouledge that this was ever my
auin longing desyre that he had evin graunted me in a great
measure, evin the performance of that promise he had maid to
me to imploy som act of my calling immediatly to his glory
and his churches wealfaire. In this last moneths imployment,
and especyaly in the last Fraydays exercise, he assured me of
ane happy depairture to myselth, ane particular faytherly caire
and providence over my wyfe, bairnes, familie, estait, quhair- Evidents of
upon I took the Righteous Mans Evidents1 in my hand, went heavin-
with my wyfe tuyse through al the merks of faith the mother
graice,—once, with praysing God for my experimental knouledge
and practical feeling of every on of tham on by on, quhilk I
durst not, neyther durst schoe, deny bot sumtymes, yea many
tymes, we had found them al,—the second tyme, with confessing
quhat we fand not presently in that strenth, vigor, sense as
befor, and with praying the Lord for the begetting, reneuing,
increasing, restoring them againe to our saules. After this I
fell in a discours to my wyfe, telling hir everything, directing
hir to submit hir will in this and in al to God, and, casting
hirselth in his armes, to depend on him absolutly and fully. I
resolved to taik order with my affairs, and in publik prayer I
recomended this particular and my familie to the Lord.
On Mononday afternoone I was in Annas looking out writs; LM ^.]
and then I promised to wryte doune quhat I remembred of
Gods wonderful prsepairing hir for this crosse; first, in the
forcing me this tyme tuelmonth to recomend hir to God quhen
Miltons purpose was in hand, quhilk the Lord did mercifully For Anna,
praeveine, and forced us to acknouledge and magnifie his goodnes
thairin; secondly, in forcing me, fra the first day of Mr. Jhon
Rayes purpose, tuyse if not thryse every day to taik hir apairt,
recomend hir and that particular to God with great fervency,
libertie, and confidence of audience, both in Edr. and most in
Wairiston gallerie; and, especyaly befor Rothau Comunion, to The secreit of
direct hir to maik hir roods and ca to logs according to Dods [hem°hitSferth
his catechise, to goe through al the sins of hir lyfe both be him- 2S Ps-
the order of the commands and of hir dayes from yeir to yeir,
See p. 100.