Holy Spirit - christiansquoting.org.uk

True discrimination between right and wrong does not then depend on the acuteness of our intelligence, but on the wisdom of the Spirit.
J Calvin on Luke 24:16

There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence. J Calvin on Luke 24:45

As God alone is a fit witness of himself in his Word, so also the Word will not find any acceptance in men's hearts before it is sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit. The same Spirit, therefore, who has spoken by the mouth of the prophets must penetrate into our hearts, to persuade us that they faithfully proclaimed what has been divinely commanded.
John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion [1559]

As a man, looking steadfastly on a dial, cannot perceive the shadow move at all, yet viewing it after a while, he shall perceive that it hath moved; so, in the hearing of the Word, but especially in the receiving of the Lord's Supper, a man may judge even his own faith, and other graces of God, to be little or nothing increased, neither can he perceive the motion of God's Spirit in him at that time; yet by the fruits and effects thereof, he shall afterward perceive that God's Spirit hath little by little wrought greater faith and other graces in him. Daniel Cawdray

We preach and pray, and you hear; but there is no motion Christ-ward until the Spirit of God blows upon them. --John Flavel

Spiritual rest maketh no man idle, spiritual walking maketh no man weary.NATHANIEL HARDY

Faith and the Spirit go together, but the Spirit is not always revealed.So Cornelius had the Holy Spirit before Peter came to him, although hedidn't know it. Those in the book of Acts who said, "We don't know the Holy Spirit," also had the Spirit, just as the patriarchs in the Old Testament had Christ, although they didn't know him. They clung to the word, and through it they received the Holy Spirit. Later in the book ofActs he was manifested to them outwardly. It's to be understood thus:The Word comes first, and with the Word the Spirit breathes upon my heart so that I believe. Then I feel that I have become a different person and I recognize that the Holy Spirit is there. Accordingly these are two things: to have the Holy Spirit and to know that you have him. When somebody speaks in your ear, you hardly hear his words before you feel his breath, so strong is the breath. Even so, when the Word is proclaimed, the Holy Spirit accompanies it and breathes upon your heart. -- Luther's Tabletalk No. 402

Examples do strangely charm us into imitation. When holiness is pressed upon us we are prone to think that it is a doctrine calculated for angels and spirits whose dwelling is not with flesh. But when we read the lives of them that excelled in holiness, though they were persons of like passions with ourselves, the conviction is wonderful and powerful. - COTTON MATHER

Thou O Spirit, that dost prefer
Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure.
John Milton. 1608-1674. Paradise Lost. Book I, 17 - 18

All other ways of mortification are vain, all helps leave us helpless, it must be done by the Spirit. J Owen

Every time we say, 'I believe in the Holy Spirit,' we mean that we believe that there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it. J. B. Phillips, Plain Christianity [1954]

The Holy Spirit does something more in each of God's elect than he does in the non-elect; he works in them 'both to will and to do of God's good pleasure.' A. W. PINK

If God have given you the earnest of the Spirit, as part of the payment of the principal sum, ye have to rejoice; for our Lord will not lose His earnest, neither will He go back, or repent Him of His bargain. - Samuel Rutherford, Letters IV. To LADY KENMURE, ANWOTH, Feb. 1, 1630

The best men in the estate of grace would be in darkness, and call their estate into question, if the Holy Ghost did not convince them, and answer all cavils for them; and therefore we must not only be convinced at first by the Spirit, but in our continued course of Christianity. This, therefore, should make us come to God's ordinances with holy devotion. O Lord, vouchsafe the Spirit of revelation, and take the scales from mine eyes, that as these are truths, they may be truths to me! Do thou away my soul, that I may cast myself upon thy mercy in Christ! - RICHARD SIBBES

The renewal of our natures is a work of great importance. It is not to be done in a day. We have not only a new house to build up, but an old one to pull down. George Whitefield

It is an undoubted truth that every doctrine that comes from God, leads to God; and that which doth not tend to promote holiness is not of God.
GEORGE WHITEFIELD

Beware the gifts of the Spirit without the fruits of the Spirit - Michael Wilcock, The Message of Judges, p86