Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 1, Title page – To the reader
A Practical COMMENTARY, VPONUPON THE Two first Chapters of the first Epistle General of St. Peter. By the Most Reverend Dr. ROBERT LEIGHTON, Some-time Arch-Bishop of Glasgow. Published after His Death, at the Request of his Friends.
YORK, Printed by I. White, Their Majesties Printer, for the City of York, and the five Northerne Counties. And are to be Sold at London by Sam. Keble at the Turks-head in Fleet-street. 1693
To the Pious Reader.
THou mayest Remember in publishing some of this Authors Discourses about two Yeares ago, A Promise was made, That if they happend to be well received, more of them should see the Light.
The general acceptance they have met with (especially from those for whom they were chiefly design'd) And the necessity the Book-seller found to make a second Edition (tho by the Printers ovresight very incorrect) are sufficient grounds to oblige me to the making good that Promise. And here it is in part perform'd, by offering to thee the following Meditations of this Primitively Devout Author upon the two first Chapters of the first Epistle General of St Peter. His Latin Discourses which he had to the Students when he was Principall of the College of Edenburgh, are now in the Press.
Matters of Controversie in Religion among Protestant Divines, this good Man, upon all occasions, in his Life time, either absolutely shunned, or endeavoured to soften, and where he could not Conciliat the Termes and Points themselves in dispute, yet he endeavoured to reconcile the Persons Disputing: For [out of his great Charity] he had much better thoughts of each of them, than they ordinarly have one of another. And even when he gives in these Papers, his own Opinion in some few of those Points, he does it, with that Moderation, and discretion, that can give no offence to any of the Parties, Except to such of them, who will needs be contentious: He was a singular Instance how far good Men may differ in Iudgment about some Abstruse points in Religion; Yet without Diminution of Affection, either to Truth, or to one-Another.
If his way of Expression, or Method of handling the Passages of Scripture here treated of, are not according to the Modern Critical exactness, or if his Stile is not after the Mode and dress of those times, And hence perhaps may be less gratifying to some, such are humbly desired, that they would be pleased to enjoy those other Writings they so deservedly value, and whereof they have so great store in this Age: Yet at the same time, its hoped from their good Nature, that they will bear with such, who do, and must own to their great Comfort, that they find a sweetness in this Divine Authors thoughts, and way of writeing peculiar to him, which make those Scriptures, thus treated by him, drop sweeter to their souls than Honey, and the Honey-comb. While they Enlighten their understandings, at the same time they purify, and rejoyce their hearts; While they make wise the Simple, they convert their Soul. This was his design in Preaching those Discourses above thirty Years ago. And this is the Design in Publishing them now, God grant that the success in perusing them may answer the good intention of both. Paul may plant and Apollos may water, but God giveth the increase, which that it may be in that abundance, which shall make both Planters, and Waterers rejoyce in that Great and last Harvest, is, and shall be the fervent Prayer of the Publisher.
J. F.