Select Sentences from Cecil.
Our troubles arise not from our living in the world, but from the world living in us. Never expect much of the joy of the Holy Ghost if your heart and mind be occupied in the enjoyment of sense. The joy of the Spirit is a delicate, sacred deposit; and must be kept in a pure casket. An unholy breath will dim its lusture, and fade its freshness. The joys of sense, even the most lawful of them, are agitating, tumultuous and unsatisfactory.128 The joy of the Spirit is calming, modest, strengthening, elevating and satisfying. The joys of sense at the best, enervate, lower and impoverish the soul. The joys of the Spirit ennoble and enrich it. Faith and hope give wings to the soul. We often call for the wings of a dove to fly away, because we want to be out of our place; to be somewhere else, in order to be more happy. But this arises from impatience. True faith and hope will make us happy anywhere, and enable us like Paul and Silas, to sing in a prison. There is experience as well as doctrine to be taught in the school of Christ. We are to be brought out of nature and taught to walk with God; and this is effected not only by the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit, but also by wholesome corrections.