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

DIARY, 1637-1639
325
‘ Almighty,’—Elschadday,1—insinuating that, on the on pairt,
we sould not repyne, hot rayther humble ourselves under the
hand of the Almighty quho wil tuyne the cord the harder to
lasch the to the bone if the first whip doe not thy turne, and
quho hes many arroues in his quyver to peirce the at the
heart if the first stryk in thy flesch move the not; and that, on
the uther hand, we sould not despaire, seing the Lord is
Almighty evin to uphold, delyver, to restor, and to doe
wondrous work in binding up the sore and hailing the
wounded. Afternoone I heard Mr. J. Bonner,2 on 10 c. Hebr.
38 v., ‘ Nou the just schal live by fayth : bot if any man drau
bak, my saul schal haive no pleasure in him ’; quhair he spak
mutch of living by fayth and patience in the midst of crosses,
and of the three delayers, 50 v. 9 Luik; thrie refuisers,
22 Math.; thrie opposers, Caiaphas, 11 Jhon, Pilat, Judas.
At night thou read over som of thy letters writtin in the
tyme of thy crosse both for greif and for comfort.
On Mononday thy wyfe, hearing of James taiking the nirles,
send out Elizabeth Hay; thou took no great thought bot
foranoone looked over Mr. J. Ray kist of wryts, and afternoone
advysed about the Supplication quhilk was ended and approvin.
On Tuesday morning, in the tyme of my publik prayer to 13 Merch 1638.
my familie, evin at my verry ending of it the Lord brings to.
my mynd my sons seaknes, maid me resinge him absolutly in
Gods hands, to begge the lesson of ane absolut resignation of
al, of ane frieie unlimitat dependance, and of the sanctified
looking to the Lords hand in al chainges, and of walking
worthily under it for Chrysts saik. Quhyl I am thus speak
my good brother, S: Hay, comes in and tels me that it had
pleased the Lord to call my son James Jhonston to himselth Jamesjohnston
betuixt on and tuo hours in the morning, quhilk neues dasched death?651 S°neS
me and confounded my wyfe. Immediatly thairafter in my
chalmer schoe and I fell on our knees, confessed our sins,
acknouledged al his mercies, and blissed his naime for al the
1 Shadda’ is an ancient name of God, rendered ‘Almighty’ everywhere in the
Authorised Version, almost invariably found in Genesis in connection with El
‘God,’—‘God Almighty,’or ‘ the Almighty God.’—Smith’s Dictionary of the
Bible. 2 Minister of Maybole.