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.

SERMON, II. (Book 2)

PREFACE.

I Will return to my place (saith the Lord by* 1.1 his Prophet) till they acknowledge their Of∣fence and seek my Face. In their affliction they will seek me early. The Father of Mercies hides himself from his Children, not to lose them, but that they may seek him; and may learn, having found him, to keep closer by him than formerly: He threatens them to keep them from punishment; if his threat∣ning work submission, its well, if not, he punishes them gently to save them from destruction. He seeks no more but that they acknowledge their offence, and seek his Face; wounderful Cle∣mency! for who can forbear to confess mul∣titudes of offences that know themselves? And who can chuse but seek thy Face that ever saw thy Face, and that know thee? In their affliction they will seek me early. He that Prays not till affliction comes and forces him to it, is very slothful: but he that Prays not in affli∣ction is altogether senseless. Certainly they that at this time are not more than ordinary fervent in Prayer, or do not at least desire and strive to be so, cannot well think that there is any Spiritual life within them. Sure

it is high time to stir up our selves to Prayers and Tears, all may bear arms in that kind of Service, weak Women may be strong in Prayer, and those Tears wherein they usual∣ly abound upon other occasions cannot be so well spent as this way. Let them not run out in howlings and impatience, but bring them, by bewailing sins, private as well as publick, to quench this publick Fire; and ye Men, yea, ye Men of courage, account it no dis∣paragement thus to weep; we read often of David's Tears which was no stain to his valour. That cloud that hangs over us, which the frequent vapors of our Sins have made, except it dissolve and fall down again in these sweet showers of Godly Tears, is certainly re∣served to be the matter of a dreadful storm; be instant every one in secret for the averting of this wrath, and let us now again unite the crys of our hearts for this purpose to our com∣passionate God, in the Name and Mediation of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Job XXXIV. 31, 32.

Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have born Chastisement, I will not offend any more.

That which I see not, Teach thou me: If I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

THE great Sin, and the great Misery of Man is, the forgetting of God, and the great

End and Use of his Works and of his Word is, to teach us the right Remembrance and Con∣sideration of Him, in all Estates. These words do particularly instruct us in the application of our thoughts towards him in the time of Affliction. The shortness and the various sig∣nification of the words used in the Original gives occasion to some other Readings, and another sence of them. But this we have in our Translation, being not only very profita∣ble, but very congruous, both to the words of the primitive Text, and to the contexture of the Discourse, I shall keep to it, without di∣viding your thoughts by the mentioning of any other. Neither will I lead you so far a∣bout, as to speak of the great dispute of this Book, and the question about which it is held; He that speaks here, though the youngest of the Company, yet as a wise, and calm spirited Man, closes all with a discourse of excellent Temper, and full of grave useful Instructions, amongst which this is one.

Surely it is meet to be said, or spoke to God] This speaking to God, though it may be vo∣cal, yet it is not necessarily nor chiefly so, but is always mainly, and may often be, on∣ly mental, without this the words of the mouth, how well chosen, and well exprest so ever they be, are to God of no account or signification at all. But if the heart speak, even when there is not a word in the mouth, its that he hearkens to, and regards that speech, tho'made by a voice that none hears, but he,

and is a Language that none understands but He.

But it is a rare unfrequented thing, this Communing of the heart with God, speak∣ing its thoughts to him concerning it self, and concerning him, and his dealing with it, and the purposes and intentions it hath to∣wards him, which is the speech here recom∣mended, and is that Divine exercise of Me∣ditation, and Soliloquy of the Soul with it self, and with God, hearkening what the Lord God speaks to us, within us, and our hearts ecchoing, and resounding his words, as Ps. 27. 8, 9. And opening to him our thoughts of them, and of our selves, though they stand open, and he sees them all, even when we tell him not of them, yet because he loves us, he loves to hear them of our own speaking Let me hear thy voice for it is sweet; as a Fa∣ther delights in the little stammering lisping Language of his beloved Child. And if the reflex affection of Children be in us, we will love also to speak with our Father, and to tell him all our mind (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) and to be often with him in the entertainments of our secret thoughts.

But the most of Men are little within, either they wear out their hours in vain discourse with others, or possibly vainer discourses with themselves, even those that are not of the worst sort, and possibly that have their times of secret Prayer, yet do not so delight to think of God and to speak with him, as they do to

be conversant in other Affairs, and Compa∣nies, and Discourses, in which there is a great deal of froth, and emptiness: Men think by talking of many things, to be refresht, and yet when they have done, find that it is no∣thing; and that they had much better have been alone, or have said nothing. Our Thoughts and Speeches in most things run to waste, yea are defiled, as water spilt on the Ground, is both lost, cannot be gathered up again, and it is polluted, mingled with dust but no word spoke to God, from the serious Sense of a holy Heart is lost, he receives it, and returns it into our bosom with advantage, a Soul that delights to speak to him, will find that he also delights to speak to it. And this Communication certainly is the sweetest and happiest choice, to speak little with Men, and much with God. One short word, such as this here, spoke to God, in a darted thought, eases the heart more when it is afflicted, then the largest Discourses, and Complainings, to the greatest and powerfullest of Men; or the kindest and most friendly. It gives not on∣ly ease but joy, to say to God I have sinned, yet I am thine, or as here, I have born Cha∣stisement, I will no more offend. The time of affliction is peculiarly a time of speaking to God, and such speech as this, is peculiarly befit∣ting such a time. And this is one great recom∣mendation of affliction, that it is a time of wiser, and more sober thoughts; a time of the returning of the mind inwards and up∣wards.

A high place, Fullness, and Pleasure draws the mind more outwards; great light, and white Colours disgregate the sight of the eye, and the very thoughts of the mind too. And Men find that the night is a fitter Season for deep thoughts. Its better, says Solomon, to* 1.2 go to the House of Mourning, then to the House of Feasting; Those blacks, made the mind more serious. 'Tis a rare thing to find much Re∣tirement unto God, much Humility, and Brokenness of Spirit, true Purity and Spiritual∣ness of heart in the affluences and great pro∣sperities of the World. 'Tis no easie thing to carry a very full Cup even, and to digest well the fatness of a great Estate, and great Place. They are not to be envyed that have them; even though they be of the better sort of Men, its a thousand to one, but that they shall be losers by the gains and advancements of this World, suffering proportionably great abatements of their best advantages, by their prosperity. The generality of Men, while they are at ease, do securely neglect God, and little mind either to speak to him, or to hear him speak to them. God complains thus of his own people, I spoke to them in their prosperi∣ty and they would not hear. The noises of Coach-Wheels, of their Pleasures, and of their great Affairs so fill their ears, that the still voice, wherein God is, cannot be heard; I will bring her into the Wilderness, and there I wall speak to her heart, says God of his Church; There the heart is more at quiet to hear God, and to

speak to him, and is disposed to speak in the Stile here prescribed, humbly and repenting∣ly.

I have born Chastisement] The speaking thus unto God under Affliction signifies. 1. That our Affliction is from his hand, and to the ac∣knowledgement of this Truth, the very na∣tural Consciences of Men do incline them. Though trouble be the general Lot of Mankind, yet it doth not come on him by an improvi∣dential fatality, Though Man is born to Trouble as the sparks flie upward, Job 5. Yet it comes not out of the dust. It is no less true, and in it self no less clear, that all the good we enjoy, and all the evil we suffer comes from the same hand; but we are naturally more sensible of evil, then of good, and therefore do more readily reflect upon the Original and Causes of it; our distresses lead us unto the notice of the righteous God inflicting them, and our own unrighteous ways procuring them, and provoking him so to do, and therefore it is meet to speak in this submissive hum∣ble Language to him. It is by all means necessary to speak to him, he is the Party we have to deal withal, or to speak to, even in those afflictions, whereof Men are the intervenient visible causes; They are in∣deed but instrumental causes, the Rod and* 1.3 Staff in his hand that smites us; therefore our business is with him, in whose supream hand alone the mitigations and increases, the continuance, and the ending of our troubles

lie; Who gave Jacob to the spoil and Israel to the Robbers? Did not the Lord against whom we have Sinned? So Lam. 1. 14. The yoke of my Transgressions is bound on by thy hand. Therefore it is altogether necessary in all afflictions to speak to him, and as its necessary to speak to him, it is meet to speak thus to him, I have born Chastisement, I will no more offend. These words have in them, the true composure of real Repentance, humble Submission, and holy Resolution, I have born Chastisement, that is, I have justly born it, and do heartily submit to it, I bear it justly, and take it well, Lord I acquit thee, and accuse my self; this Lan∣guage becomes the innocentest person in the World in their suffering. Job knew it well, and did often acknowledge it in his precedeing Speeches; though sometimes in the heat of dispute, and opposure to the uncharitable, and unjust imputations of his Friends, he seems to overstrain the assertion of his own integrity, which Elihu here corrects, you know he cries out I have sinned against thee, what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of man! and Chap. 9. If I wash my self with Snow-water, and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own Cloaths shall abhor me.

Vain foolish persons fret, and foam at the miscarriage of a cause they apprehend to be righteous, but this is a great vanity and incon∣siderate temerity in not observing, the great and apparent unrighteousness in the persons managing it. But though both the cause and

the persons were just to the greatest hight imaginable amongst men, yet still were it meet to speak thus unto God in the lowest ac∣knowledgements and confessions, that righte∣ousness belongs unto him, and unto us shame and confusion of face, so says the Church Lam. 3. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against his Commandments. Though affliction is not always designedly intended as the Chastise∣ment of some particular Sin, yet where Sin is (and that is the case of all the Sons of Adam) affliction coming in, may safely be consider∣ed in its natural cognation and alliance with Sin, and so press forth humble confessions of Sin, and resolutions against it. And thus in Lev. 26. 41. They shall except of the punishment of their iniquity, shall take it humbly and penitently and kiss the Rod.

Oh! That there were such a heart in us! That instead of empty words that scatter them∣selves in the wind, our many vain discourses we hold one with another, concerning our past and present sufferings, and further fears, and disputing of many fruitless, and endless questions, we were more abundantly turning our Speech this way, in unto God, and Saying, We desire to give thee Glory, and take Shame to our selves, and to bear our Chastisement, and to offend no more, to return each from his evil way, and to gain this by the furnace, the purging away of our dross, our many and great ini∣quities, our Oaths, and Cursings, and lying, our Deceit, and Oppressions, and Pride, and

Covetousness, our base love of our selves, and hating one another; that we may be deliver∣ed from the Tyranny of our own lusts, and passions, and in other things Let the Lord do with us as seems good in his eyes; speaking to God in Ephraims words, Jeremiah 31. 18, 19, 20. words not unlike these, would stir his bowels, as there. As it is said, that one string perfectly tuned to another, being toucht, the other stirs of it self, when a stubborn Child leaves strugling under the Rod, and turns to intreating, the Father then leaves striking; nothing overcomes him but that. When a man says unto God, Father I have provoked thee to this, but Pardon, and through thy Grace I will do so no more, Then the Rod is thrown aside, and the Father of Mercies, and his humbled Child fall to mutual tenderness and embraces.

What I see not teach thou me, &c.] The great Article of Conversion is the disengagement of the heart from the love of Sin. In that po∣sture, as it actually forsakes whatsoever it per∣ceives to be amiss, so it stands in an absolute readiness to return to every duty that yet lies hidden, upon the first discovery; that is here the genuine voice of a repentant Sinner, What I see not teach thou me, &c.

This is a very necessary suit, even for the most discerning, and clearest sighted Penitent, both in reference to the Commandment, and Rule for discovering the general nature, and several kinds of Sin; and withal for the appli∣cation

of this general light, to the examen of a Mans own heart, and ways, that so he may have a more exact and particular accompt of his own Sins.

The former is the knowledge of the Laws of God, and Rule by which a Man is to try, and to judge himself. The most knowing are not above the need of this request, yea, I am perswaded, the most knowing know best how much they need it, and are most humbled in themselves in the conscience of their ignorance and darkness in Divine things, and are most earnest, and pressing in this daily Supplica∣tion, for increases of light, and Spiritual know∣ledge from him who is the Fountain of it, What I see not teach thou me. On the other side, the least knowing, are often the most confident, that they know all; and swelled with a con∣ceited sufficiency of their model, and deter∣mination of all things, both Dogmatical, and Practical. And therefore are the most impe∣rious and magisterial in their conclusions, and the most impatient of contradiction, or even of the most modest dissent.

The wisest, and holy'st persons, speak al∣ways in the humblest, and most depressing stile of their own knowledge, and that not with an affectation of modesty; but in the real sense of the thing as it is, and the sincere ac∣compt they give of it, and that commonly when they are declaring themselves most solemnly, as in the sight of God, or speaking in Suppli∣cation to him with whom they dare least of

all dissemble, whosoever he was that spake these words Prov. 30. Sure he was a man of eminent Wisdom, and Piety, and yet begins thus, Surely I am more brutish then any Man, and have not the understanding of a Man, I have nei∣ther learned Wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy. And tho'he was so diligent a Student, and so great a Proficient in the Law of God, yet how importunate a Petitioner is he, for the understanding of it, as if he knew nothing at all? besides the like expressions in other Psalms; in that one Psalm that being of such length* 1.4 hath nothing but the breathing forth of his affection to the Word, and Law of God, how often doth he in it reiterate that, Teach me thy Statutes: So often that a carnal mind is tempted to grow weary of it, as a nauseating Tauto∣logy; but he made it still new, with the fresh∣ness, and vehemency of his affection. Make me to understand the way of thy Precepts; Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy Law. And Open thou mine eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy Law; unseal mine eyes, as if still veiled and dark. These are the earnest and nobly ambitious desires that daily sollicite holy hearts, and stir them to sollicite the Teacher of hearts, to be admitted more into the secrets, and re∣cesses of Divine knowledge, not to those abysses that God intends should be secret still, and from which he hath barr'd out our curiosity, as the forbidden Tree of Knowledge, these se∣crets that belong to himself alone, and con∣cern us not to enquire after, and certainly to

be wading in these deeps, is the way to he drown'd in them. The Searcher of Majesty shall be opprest with Glory; yet, there is in Man a perverse preposterous desire to pore upon such things as are on purpose hidden, that we should not enquire after them; and to seek after use∣less empty speculations of them, which is a luxury, and intemperance of the understand∣ing, like unto that, and springing from that, which at first undid us in the Root. These are times full of those empty airy Questions, and Notions in which there is no clearness, nor certainty to be attained, and if it were, yet would serve to little or no purpose, not mak∣ing the Man that thinks he hath found them out, one jot the better, or hollier Man then he was before: What avails it, says that devout Author, to dispute and discourse high concerning the Trinity, and want humility, and so displease that Trinity. The Light and Knowledge suted according to the intendment of this Copy, is of another nature, such as purifies the heart, and rectifies the Life. What I see not teach thou me. That is, of such things as may serve this end, That if I have done iniquity I may do it no more, this is sound and solid knowledge, such a light as enflames the heart with the love of God, and of the beauties of holiness; and still as it grows, makes those to grow likewise. Such are still, we see, David's multiplied Sup∣plications in that Psalm; not to know reser∣••••d and unuseful things, But hide not thy Com∣mandments from me. Thy hands have made me

and fashioned me. Now, what is that thy Creature and Workmanship begs of thee? what is that which will compleat my being, and make me do honour to my Maker? This is it, Give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandments. You that would be success∣ful Supplicants in this request, wean your hearts from this vanity of desire, such know∣ledge is as the Cypress-Trees, fair and tall, but fruitless and sapless. Apply all you know to the purging out of Sin, and intend all the further knowledge you desire, to that same end. Seek to be acquainted with higher rules of Mortification, and Self-denial, and Charity, then yet you have either practised, or possi∣bly so much as thought on; that by these, your Affections and Actions may be advanced to greater degrees of purity, and conformity with the holiness of God. And for this end, beg of him to teach you what you see not in the exactness of the Law, and Rule. And with∣al, which is the other thing in this word, that what you see not in the application of it, and search of your self, he would likewise shew you that. For in that, we are commonly as un∣discerning and dimsighted, as in the other; even where Men have some notion of the Rule and their Duty, yet they perceive not their own, even their gross recessions, and declin∣ings from it: Love is a blinding thing, and above all Love, Self-love; and every Man is naturally his own Flatterer, he deals not faith∣fully and sincerely with himself in the search

of his own evils. Now this we are to intreat of God, to be led into our selves, and to be applyed to the work of self-searching, by his own hand, not only to have a right apprehen∣sion of the Law given us, but a true sight of our selves. Oh! How many hidden undis∣cerned, yea unsuspected impurities, and fol∣••ies are there in the hearts of those that are the most diligent in this inquiry, much more in the greater part, even of such as cannot ab∣solutely be denied the name of good men, some honest intentions, and good desires there are in them; but they are slothful, and unwil∣ling to go to this painful business of trying and judging themselves, and when they set to it, many secret corners, and in those ma∣ny latent inordinacies do escape their search. Cleanse me from secret faults, says David, that is not only those hidden from Men, but even from my self, as is clearly his meaning, by the words precedeing, who knows the errors of his Life. Therefore is it necessary that we desire light of God, The Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord, says Solomon, searching the inner∣most parts of the Belly; But it is a Candle unlighted, when he does not illuminate it for that search. Oh! What a deal of Vanity and love of this World, Envy and secret Pride, lurks in many of our hearts, that we do not at all perceive, till God causeth us to see it, leading us in as he did the Prophet in the Vi∣sion, to see the Idolatry of the Jews in his very Temple, by which they had provoked

him to forsake it, and go far from his sanctu∣ary; and having discovered one parcel, leads him in further, and makes him enter through the Wall, and adds often, Son of Man hast thou seen these, I will cause thee see yet more abo∣minations, and yet more abominations. Thus is it within many of us that should be his Tem∣ples, but we have multitude of Images of Jea∣lousie, one lying hid behind another, till he thus discover them to us. Oh! What need have we to entreat him thus, What I see not shew thou me!

Now in both these, both in the knowledge of our Rule, and of our selves, though there may be some useful subserviency of the Mini∣stry of Men; yet the great Teacher of the true knowledge of his Law, and of himself, and of our selves, is God. Men may speak to the Ear, but his Chair is in Heaven, that Teaches hearts, Cathedram habet in caelo. Match∣less Teacher! that Teacheth more in one hour, than Men can do in a whole Age! That can cure the invincible unteachableness of the dullest heart, Gives understanding to the simple, and opens the eyes of the Blind. So then would we be made wise, wise for Eternity, learned in real living Divinity, Let us sit down at his feet and make this our continual request. What I see not teach thou me.

And if I have done, &c.] That's any ini∣quity that I yet know not of, any hidden Sin, let me but once see it, and, I hope, thou shalt see it no more within me; not willingly lodg∣ed and entertained. This speaks an entire

total giving up all Sin, and proclaming ut∣ter defiance, and enmity against it, casting out what is already found out without delay, and resolving that still in further search, as it shall be more discovered, it shall be forthwith dislodged, without a thought of sparing or partial indulgence to any thing that is Sin, or like it, or may any way befriend it, or be an occasion and incentive of it. This is that abso∣lute renouncing of Sin, and surrender of the whole Soul, and our whole selves to God: which whosoever do not heartily consent to and resolve on, their Religion is in vain, and (which is here the point) their Affliction is in vain; whatsoever they have suffered, they have gained nothing by all their sufferings, if their hearts remain still Selfwill'd, Stubborn, Untamed, and unpliable to God. And this makes their miseries out of measure miserable, and their sins out of measure sinful; whereas were it thus qualify'd, and had it any operation this way towards the subjecting of their hearts unto God, Affliction were not to be called misery, but would go under the Title of a blessedness: Blessed is the Man whom thou correctest and teachest him out of thy Law. That suiting with this here desired, I have born Chastisement: What I see not teach thou me, and if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more. Oh! Were it thus with us M. B. how might we rejoyce, and insert into our Praises all that is come upon us, if it had wrought or advanced any thing of this kind within us, this blessed compliance with the

will of God, not entertaining any thing know∣ingly that displeases him; finding a pleasure in the denial and destruction of our own most be∣loved pleasures at his appointment, and for his sake, whatsoever is in us, and dearest to us, that would offend us, that would draw us to offend him, were it the right hand let it be cut off, or the right eye let it be pluckt out: Or to make shorter work, let the whole Man die at once Crucified with Jesus, That we may be henceforth dead to Sin, dead to the World, dead to our selves, and alive only to God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hos. 5. 15.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.3

  Heb. 4.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 119.