Without the soul divinely quickened and inspired, the observances of the grandest ritualism are as worthless as the motions of a galvanized corpse.
I firmly believe that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and self-seeking and every thing that is contrary to God's law, the Holy Ghost will come and fill every corner of our hearts; but if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and self-seeking and pleasure and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God; and I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him when he is full already with something else.
As the blood of Christ is the fountain of all merit, so the Spirit is the fountain of all spiritual life; and until He quickens us, imparts the principle of divine life to our souls, we can put forth no vital act of faith to lay hold upon Jesus Christ.
We are not saved on account of the Holy Ghost's work in us; we are saved by means of it. We are saved on account of Christ's work for us. The Spirit never tells us to look inward even to His own operations, for peace, but outward to Christ.
There is no reason to believe that the Holy Spirit ever leaves awakened sinners, only as they leave the truth of God for some error or sin.
Resist is the word applied to the unconverted. Grieve is that applied to the individual Christian. Quench is that which has reference to the saints when gathered together waiting on the Spirit.
