As the sun can be seen only by its own light, so Christ can be known only by His own Spirit.
– Robert Leighton
Christ | The Holy Spirit | Light
The flower that follows the sun does so even in cloudy days.
– Robert Leighton
Perseverance
Adversity is the diamond dust heaven polishes its jewels with.
– Robert Leighton
Adversity
Men compare themselves with men, and readily with the worst, and flatter themselves with that comparative betterness. This is not the way to see spots, to look into the muddy streams of profane men’s lives; but look into the clear fountain of the Word, and there we may both discern and wash them; and consider the infinite holiness of God, and this will humble us to the dust.
– Robert Leighton
Humility | Discernment
The Sum is: 1. Remember always the presence of God. 2. Rejoice always in the will of God. And 3. Direct all to the glory of God.
– Robert Leighton
Holiness
You must keep your memory clean and pure, as it were a wedlock chamber, from all strange thoughts, fancies and imaginations, and it must be trimmed and adorned with holy meditations and virtues of Christ’s holy crucified life and passion: That God may continually and ever rest therein.
– Robert Leighton
Purity
A holy life is a voice; it speaks when the tongue is silent, and is either a constant attraction or a perpetual reproof.
– Robert Leighton
Holiness | The Tongue
Sin is first pleasing, then it grows easy, then delightful, then frequent, then habitual, then confirmed; then the man is impenitent, then he is obstinate, then he is resolved never to repent, and then he is ruined.
– Robert Leighton
Sin
By this may all know that we are not His disciples, because we hate one another.
– Robert Leighton
Hatred | Discipleship
But herein is the excellency of this Divine Sun, that He illuminates not only the object, but the faculty; doth not only open the mysteries of His kingdom, but opens blind eyes to behold them.
– Robert Leighton
Christ
Great is he who enjoys his earthenware as if it were plate, and not less great is the man to whom all his plate is no more than earthenware.
– Robert Leighton
Humility
Forgive thyself little and others much.
– Robert Leighton
Forgiveness | Humility
Calumny would soon starve and die of itself if nobody took it in and gave it a lodging.
– Robert Leighton
Gossip
Solitude, silence, and the strait keeping of the heart, are the foundations and grounds of a spiritual life.
– Robert Leighton
The Heart
That venomous worm of all goodness, vain glory.
– Robert Leighton
Pride
God hath many sharp-cutting instruments and rough files for the polishing of his jewels; and those he especially loves, and means to make the most resplendent, he hath oftenest his tools upon.
– Robert Leighton
Suffering
Let thy great joy and comfort evermore be, to have His pleasure done in thee, though in pains, sickness, persecutions, oppressions, or inward griefs and pressures of heart, coldness or barrenness of mind, darkening of thy will and senses, or any temptations spiritual or bodily.
– Robert Leighton
Trials | Holiness
An angelic life, spent between ascending in prayer to fetch blessings from above, and descending to scatter them among men.
– Robert Leighton
Prayer
The world dares say no more for its device, than “while I live, I hope”; but the children of God can add by virtue of a living hope, “while I expire, I hope.”
– Robert Leighton
Virtue | Death
True prayer never comes weeping home: I am sure that I shall get either what I ask, or what I ought to have asked.
– Robert Leighton
Prayer
The cure of an evil tongue must be done at the heart. The weights and wheels are there, and the clock strikes according to their motion. A guileful heart makes a guileful tongue and lips. It is the work-house where is the forge of deceits and slanders; and the tongue is only the outer shop where they are vended, and the door of it. Such ware as is made within, such, and no other, can come out.
– Robert Leighton
Gossip | The Heart | The Tongue
Good words do more than hard speeches, as the sunbeams, without any noise, will make the traveler cast off his cloak, which all the blustering winds could not do, but only make him bind it closer to him.
– Robert Leighton
Encouragement
If thou wouldst find much favor and peace with God and man, be very low in thine own eyes. Forgive thyself little and others much.
– Robert Leighton
Humility
How shall I do to love? Believe. How shall I do to believe? Love.
– Robert Leighton
Love
God’s choice acquaintances are humble men.
– Robert Leighton
Humility