25 Robert Leighton Quotes

As the sun can be seen only by its own light, so Christ can be known only by His own Spirit.

The flower that follows the sun does so even in cloudy days.

Adversity is the diamond dust heaven polishes its jewels with.

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.

A holy life is a voice; it speaks when the tongue is silent, and is either a constant attraction or a perpetual reproof.

By this may all know that we are not His disciples, because we hate one another.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Forgive thyself little and others much.

Calumny would soon starve and die of itself if nobody took it in and gave it a lodging.

Solitude, silence, and the strait keeping of the heart, are the foundations and grounds of a spiritual life.

That venomous worm of all goodness, vain glory.

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.

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.

An angelic life, spent between ascending in prayer to fetch blessings from above, and descending to scatter them among men.

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."

True prayer never comes weeping home: I am sure that I shall get either what I ask, or what I ought to have asked.

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.

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.

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.

How shall I do to love? Believe. How shall I do to believe? Love.

God's choice acquaintances are humble men.