Sermons, Half title – To the reader
Archbishop LEIGHTON'S SERMONS.
SERMONS Preached by Dr. Robert Leighton Late Archbishop of GLASGOW.
PUBLISHED, At the desire of his Friends, after his Death, from his Papers written with his own hand.
He was a burning and a shining Light, and ye were willing for a Season to rejoyce in his Light, St. Job. 5. 35.
He being dead, yet speaketh, Heb. 11. 4.
LONDON: Printed, for S. K. and are to be sold by Awnsham and John Churchill, at the Black-Swan in Pater-Noster Row, MDCXCII.
TO THE PIOUS and DEVOUT READER.
THE Discourses here published, are but a small taste of a great many more that were written by the same most Reverend Author. A Judgment will be made from the reception these meet with, concerning the Publishing other Discourses by the same Pen. His Composures in Latin (which appear to have been written and delivered when he was Principal of the Colledge of Edinburgh) are also Transcribing for the Press, and may in a convenient time see the light, for they need not fear it. He never appeared in Print upon any occasion in his whole Life, and th… few Men have been more sollidly Learned in the whole compass of Learning, then he was, to which he had added a perfect Command of the purity of the Latin Tongue; and a more than ordinary knowledge of the Greek, Hebrew, and other Oriental Languages, yet he never once broke through that profound humility, which made him judge himself neither fit to write, nor speak, tho he did both to a great perfection.
Some words that dropt from him occasionally some time before his Death against the Publishing of his Papers, put those in whose hands they were, under no small difficulties what to do with them, till they maturely considered the difference there ought to be made between a settled resolute purpose, and an humble Answer to a Question put to him, concerning them. Which was considered only as an Effect of that modesty, which was eminent in him to a very high degree; and which gave a peculiar Luster to all his other Excellencies.
The Author was so averse to all Controversies, that he thought the best way to refine some low Notions, was to graft great and high thoughts on them; And therefore instead of attacking them, or disputing about them, he study'd to improve them to some pious Reflection. If he went along with some of the received Notions of that Age and Place he lived in, he made them much brighter, and less offencive by his way of handling them.
If the meanness of Stile which then prevailed threw him into a little more Art than agrees with that chastness of Stile which now takes place, it is, what all Men, who have raised the strain of their Language have fallen into at first: But I will not pretend to excuse that, which (I confess) I admire, and by which I my self have been so sensibly Edifi'd, that I have been at some pains to cause to be coppied out for the Press what the Author writ in so neglected a manner with his own hand.
The Author was the delight and wonder of all that knew him, his Thoughts were Noble, and his Expressions Beautiful, his Gesture and pronounciation (peculiar to himself) had a Gravity, a Majesty, and yet a sweetness in them, that many severe Judges have often said, were beyond all that they had ever seen at home or abroad.
That which gave the greatest authority to all he said, was, that his Life was such a continued course of Sublimest Vertue, and the most elevated Piety, that has appeared in this Age. Those who have known him the most, and the longest, have often said, that in a course of many years acquaintance, they scarcely ever saw him once out of that deeply serious State in which they themselves wish'd to be found in their last minutes.
This may look somewhat high to those who knew him not: But those who did know him, and are yet alive, will, I am confident, justifie the truth of this short Character. A fuller Account of his Life is promised by a better Pen, and therefore I will say no more on a Subject, that I am very sensible is too high for me to manage.
To Conclude, I, who reckon, that the knowledge I had of him for some years, the few Sermons I heard him preach, and the many of his Composing which I have read, will be no small Article of the Accompt I must render at the last and dreadful Day, have thought it one part of my Duty to be Instrumental to communicate these to others, who I hope will profit more by them, than I my self have been able yet to do. And in this hope and assurance I recommend those Discourses and the Readers of them, to the Blessing and Grace of Almighty God through his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.