Author
Sourced quotes from Robert Murray M'Cheyne in the Postmilstill archive, with works and topics linked for reading and research.
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You must be content then to lean all your weight upon Christ. Cast the burden of temporal things upon him. Cast the care of your soul upon him. If God be for us, who can be against us? They that wait upon the Lord shall…
In travelling, you never think of making a house in the wilderness. So, dear friends, do not take up your rest here, we are journeying. Let all your endeavours be to get on in your journey.
Sabbath-days are like milestones — marking our way; or rather they are like the wells we used to come to at evening. Every real Christian is making progress. Dear Christians, you should be advancing, getting higher, near…
It is far happier to be in Christ than to be out of Christ. Is it not an awful thing to be happy when you are unsaved? Would it not be dreadful to see a man sleeping in a house all on fire? And is it not enough to make o…
The Sabbath is the great day for gathering in souls — it is Christ's market-day. It is the great harvest-day of souls. I know there is a generation rising up that would fain trample the Sabbath beneath their feet; but pr…
Do you really delight in the Sabbath-day? If not, you are no child of God. Dear believers, oppose these ungodly practices with all your might. The more others dishonour God's holy day, the more do you honour it, and shew…
When I was laid aside from the ministry, I felt it was to teach me the need of prayer for my people. I used often to say, Now God is teaching me the use of prayer.
Sweet rod that drives the soul into such a precious resting place! Remember Edwards' magnificent resolution, 'Resolved to improve afflictions to the uttermost.' Spread the sail when the breeze of adversity blows, and let…
I ought to flee all temptation, according to Prov. iv. 15 — 'Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.'
Whatever I see to be sin, I ought from this hour to set my whole soul against it, using all scriptural methods to mortify it — as, the Scriptures, special prayer for the Spirit, fasting, watching.
Guard against all ambition to excel one another in expression. Remember the most spiritual prayer is a 'groan which cannot be uttered,' Rom. viii. 26; or a cry of 'Abba, Father,' Gal. iv. 6.
This is the best way of knowing the meaning of the Bible, and of learning to pray. In prayer confess your sins by name — going over those of the past day one by one. Pray for your friends by name — father, mother, &c. If…
You read your Bible regularly, of course; but do try and understand it, and still more, to feel it. Read more parts than one at a time. For example, if you are reading Genesis, read a Psalm also; or, if you are reading M…
Pray that the Holy Spirit would not only make you a believing and holy lad, but make you wise in your studies also. A ray of Divine light in the soul sometimes clears up a mathematical problem wonderfully.
Beware of the atmosphere of the classics. It is pernicious indeed; and you need much of the south wind breathing over the Scriptures to counteract it. True, we ought to know them; but only as chemists handle poisons — to…
Do every thing in its own time. Do every thing in earnest — if it is worth doing, then do it with all your might. Above all, keep much in the presence of God. Never see the face of man till you have seen his face who is…
It is the mark of a hypocrite to be a Christian every where except at home.
If only we had Arabic, we might sow beside all waters!
I will remember the faces of those men at the judgment-seat.
I fear I will need to be a swift witness against many of my people in the day of the Lord, that they looked to me, and not to Christ, when I preached to them.
I am not at all unwilling to spend and be spent in God's service, though I have often found that the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
Perhaps there are many souls that would never have been saved under my ministry, who may be touched under yours; and God has taken this method of bringing you into my place. His name is Wonderful.
A minister will make a poor saviour in the day of wrath.
The only cure for a cold heart is to look at the heart of Jesus.
Without personal holiness, I never can be there.
Make me Christ-like in all things, should be my constant prayer.
I am persuaded that nothing is thriving in my soul unless it is growing.
The only way to be kept from falling is to grow. If you stand still you will fall.
I declare to you that I had rather be one hour with God, than a thousand with the sweetest society on earth or in heaven. All other joys are but streams; God is the fountain.
About fifty die every minute; nearly one every second entering into an unchangeable world!
Oh! shall we be less earnest to save their never-dying souls, than we would be to save their bodies?
If we would win souls, we must point clearly the way to heaven, while we cry, Flee from the wrath to come.
Oh, brother, cry for the breath of heaven. Remember a moral sinner will lie down in the same hell with the vilest.
Take heed to thyself and to thy doctrine.
Give yourself to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.
Get your texts from God, your thoughts, your words, from God.
Hell is as deep and as burning as ever. Unconverted souls are as surely rushing to it. Christ is as free—pardon as sweet as ever! Ah! how we shall be amazed at our coldness when we do get to heaven!
Woe be unto us if we preach not the Gospel.
You are given in answer to prayer; and these gifts are, I believe, always without exception blessed. I hope you may be a thousand times more blessed among them than ever I was.
Changes are coming; every eye before me shall soon be dim in death. Another pastor shall feed this flock; another singer lead the psalm; another flock shall fill this fold.
Have been laying much to heart the absolute necessity laid upon the Church of sending the gospel to our dead parishes, during the life of the present incumbents.
Saturday is an awkward day for ministers; for though I love to seek help from on high, I love also diligently to set my thoughts in order for the Sabbath. I sometimes fear that you fail in this latter duty.
They are proofs of how little we are filled with the presence of God, how little we are branch-like in our faith.
Perhaps it may be found, that the reason why many, who preach the gospel fully and in all earnestness, are not owned of God in the conversion of souls, is to be found in their defective exhibition of grace in these easy…
I find many souls saved under my own ministry, whom I never knew of before. They are not afraid to come out now, it has become so common a thing to be concerned about the soul.
One thing, I am deeply convinced of, that God can make the simplest statement of the gospel effectual to save souls. If only it be the true gospel, the good tidings, the message that God loved the world, and provided a r…
Now, God wants you to think, that the only end of a gospel ministry is, that you may be holy. Believe me, God himself could not make you happy, except you be holy.
Leave your home, your comforts, your bed, your ease, your all, to feed lost souls. The Lord of Glory left heaven for this; it is enough for the disciple to be as his Master.
But, oh! study universal holiness of life. Your whole usefulness depends on this, for your sermons on Sabbath last but an hour or two; your life preaches all the week.
The oil of the lamp in the temple burnt away in giving light; so should we.
50 quotes
You must be content then to lean all your weight upon Christ. Cast the burden of temporal things upon him. Cast the care of your soul upon him. If God be for us, who can be against us? They that wait upon the Lord shall…
In travelling, you never think of making a house in the wilderness. So, dear friends, do not take up your rest here, we are journeying. Let all your endeavours be to get on in your journey.
Sabbath-days are like milestones — marking our way; or rather they are like the wells we used to come to at evening. Every real Christian is making progress. Dear Christians, you should be advancing, getting higher, near…
It is far happier to be in Christ than to be out of Christ. Is it not an awful thing to be happy when you are unsaved? Would it not be dreadful to see a man sleeping in a house all on fire? And is it not enough to make o…
The Sabbath is the great day for gathering in souls — it is Christ's market-day. It is the great harvest-day of souls. I know there is a generation rising up that would fain trample the Sabbath beneath their feet; but pr…
Do you really delight in the Sabbath-day? If not, you are no child of God. Dear believers, oppose these ungodly practices with all your might. The more others dishonour God's holy day, the more do you honour it, and shew…
When I was laid aside from the ministry, I felt it was to teach me the need of prayer for my people. I used often to say, Now God is teaching me the use of prayer.
Sweet rod that drives the soul into such a precious resting place! Remember Edwards' magnificent resolution, 'Resolved to improve afflictions to the uttermost.' Spread the sail when the breeze of adversity blows, and let…
I ought to flee all temptation, according to Prov. iv. 15 — 'Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.'
Whatever I see to be sin, I ought from this hour to set my whole soul against it, using all scriptural methods to mortify it — as, the Scriptures, special prayer for the Spirit, fasting, watching.
Guard against all ambition to excel one another in expression. Remember the most spiritual prayer is a 'groan which cannot be uttered,' Rom. viii. 26; or a cry of 'Abba, Father,' Gal. iv. 6.
This is the best way of knowing the meaning of the Bible, and of learning to pray. In prayer confess your sins by name — going over those of the past day one by one. Pray for your friends by name — father, mother, &c. If…
You read your Bible regularly, of course; but do try and understand it, and still more, to feel it. Read more parts than one at a time. For example, if you are reading Genesis, read a Psalm also; or, if you are reading M…
Pray that the Holy Spirit would not only make you a believing and holy lad, but make you wise in your studies also. A ray of Divine light in the soul sometimes clears up a mathematical problem wonderfully.
Beware of the atmosphere of the classics. It is pernicious indeed; and you need much of the south wind breathing over the Scriptures to counteract it. True, we ought to know them; but only as chemists handle poisons — to…
Do every thing in its own time. Do every thing in earnest — if it is worth doing, then do it with all your might. Above all, keep much in the presence of God. Never see the face of man till you have seen his face who is…
It is the mark of a hypocrite to be a Christian every where except at home.
If only we had Arabic, we might sow beside all waters!
I will remember the faces of those men at the judgment-seat.
I fear I will need to be a swift witness against many of my people in the day of the Lord, that they looked to me, and not to Christ, when I preached to them.
I am not at all unwilling to spend and be spent in God's service, though I have often found that the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
Perhaps there are many souls that would never have been saved under my ministry, who may be touched under yours; and God has taken this method of bringing you into my place. His name is Wonderful.
A minister will make a poor saviour in the day of wrath.
The only cure for a cold heart is to look at the heart of Jesus.
Without personal holiness, I never can be there.
Make me Christ-like in all things, should be my constant prayer.
I am persuaded that nothing is thriving in my soul unless it is growing.
The only way to be kept from falling is to grow. If you stand still you will fall.
I declare to you that I had rather be one hour with God, than a thousand with the sweetest society on earth or in heaven. All other joys are but streams; God is the fountain.
About fifty die every minute; nearly one every second entering into an unchangeable world!
Oh! shall we be less earnest to save their never-dying souls, than we would be to save their bodies?
If we would win souls, we must point clearly the way to heaven, while we cry, Flee from the wrath to come.
Oh, brother, cry for the breath of heaven. Remember a moral sinner will lie down in the same hell with the vilest.
Take heed to thyself and to thy doctrine.
Give yourself to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.
Get your texts from God, your thoughts, your words, from God.
Hell is as deep and as burning as ever. Unconverted souls are as surely rushing to it. Christ is as free—pardon as sweet as ever! Ah! how we shall be amazed at our coldness when we do get to heaven!
Woe be unto us if we preach not the Gospel.
You are given in answer to prayer; and these gifts are, I believe, always without exception blessed. I hope you may be a thousand times more blessed among them than ever I was.
Changes are coming; every eye before me shall soon be dim in death. Another pastor shall feed this flock; another singer lead the psalm; another flock shall fill this fold.
Have been laying much to heart the absolute necessity laid upon the Church of sending the gospel to our dead parishes, during the life of the present incumbents.
Saturday is an awkward day for ministers; for though I love to seek help from on high, I love also diligently to set my thoughts in order for the Sabbath. I sometimes fear that you fail in this latter duty.
They are proofs of how little we are filled with the presence of God, how little we are branch-like in our faith.
Perhaps it may be found, that the reason why many, who preach the gospel fully and in all earnestness, are not owned of God in the conversion of souls, is to be found in their defective exhibition of grace in these easy…
I find many souls saved under my own ministry, whom I never knew of before. They are not afraid to come out now, it has become so common a thing to be concerned about the soul.
One thing, I am deeply convinced of, that God can make the simplest statement of the gospel effectual to save souls. If only it be the true gospel, the good tidings, the message that God loved the world, and provided a r…
Now, God wants you to think, that the only end of a gospel ministry is, that you may be holy. Believe me, God himself could not make you happy, except you be holy.
Leave your home, your comforts, your bed, your ease, your all, to feed lost souls. The Lord of Glory left heaven for this; it is enough for the disciple to be as his Master.
But, oh! study universal holiness of life. Your whole usefulness depends on this, for your sermons on Sabbath last but an hour or two; your life preaches all the week.
The oil of the lamp in the temple burnt away in giving light; so should we.