"A sinner may hear the gospel a thousand times, but until the Spirit touches his heart, he will remain unmoved. He cannot lift a finger toward his own salvation, for his heart is stone, his will is chained, and his affections are set on the world. The gospel is a call, but the call is powerless until God makes it effectual. Regeneration must come before faith, for faith is the act of a living soul, and the sinner is dead. Grace does not help the sinner to believe; grace causes him to believe.
-- Charles Spurgeon.