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

380
DIARY OF LORD WARISTON
thairof confounded me and begoud to dasch my assurances
and exspectations evin of the Lords liberal external dealing
with me; bot that, in the verry mean tyme of thir my confused
thoughts, the Lord brought to my mynd his particular caire
and providence in casting in my lap, during al my wants and
sumptuous expenses of building and spending ever aboundance
of moneys albeit perteining to uthers, as first Riccartons
moneys, then Beatrix hir moneys, then Anna hir moneys
quherby the Lord hes staiked me in the mean tyme, and be
that his provyding caire forassures me that, in his auin tyme,
he wil find out the wayes (quhilk semes nou to be hedged in
on al hands and syds) quherby to releave my estait and mynd
both of this burden of debts, compts and reckonings. For, as
he never cust me on a great straite, lot me seie ane impossi-
bilitie to winne out of it by human helpe or apearance of a
secondarie mean, maid me notwithstanding thairof both cry
to him and trust in him, bot he heard me above my prayer
and blissed me above my desyre, and forced me thairafter to
acknouledge both in his presence out of ane sensible experi¬
ence, as naimly and mainly in the setling me in my calling
and imploying me thairin immediatly to his glory, so nou I
am in this particular mutch straitned, seieth many impossi¬
bilities, yet calleth and trusteth in the promises and forassur-
ances from my God, and certainly wil find the constancie of
the same maner of dealing in the event; albeit evin nou whyle
I am wryting, the world, reason, sense, al apearances, and
secundarie means beareth on my throat and sueareth in my
face to the contrary ; yet evin in this particular, beyond, above,
yea contrail- to hope, I rest on the infallible love, irresistable
pouer, indulgent providence, and forseing, forcairing wysdome
of my Lord, my God, my Fayther, my Saviour, my Sanctifier,
quho persuads me as in the principal, so in this corollarie of
the neu covenant to me in that maner and measure quhairin
the world schal seie, and I schal be forced to acknouledge, the
Lords outward providence to drop fatnes in my lape; to cover
my taible in despyte of my enemies; to maik my portion of
fatt and marrou in pleasant places; and to maik my cup to
overfloue. Remember, O Lord, thy promises quhairon thou
forceth thy servant to trust.