It should also be repeated here, that as many are ignorant of the date of their conversion, though well assured of the fact, so many may be ignorant of the date of their Baptism with the Holy Ghost, though well assured that they have entered on the blessed life. If we are assured of the fact, that we have received the Fullness of the Spirit, we need not worry as to dates.
3. Signs Following.
Yet again, one may know whether the Fullness has come to his heart and life by the signs following, by what "The Men" of the North of Scotland would call "the marks." Christ's words used in another connection may surely be applied in this, "By their fruits ye shall know them" (Matt. vii. 20). "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal. v. 22, 23). The fullness of the fruit will surely be found where the Fullness of the Spirit is. Quantity and quality will both be there. As this has already been touched upon when considering the effects of the blessing, no more need be added here. But this, however, must be clearly borne in mind, that, while the Fullness of the Spirit is a gift, the fruit of the Spirit is a growth. Fruit grows, and the fruit will grow, if only we see to it that the conditions are present which are favorable to growth. That man does not manifest much wisdom who expects full growth without attending to the conditions of growth.
CHAPTER XVII.
MAY ONE SAY THAT HE IS FILLED?
The question has been raised—Is it right for one to say that he is "filled with the Holy Ghost"? May this not savor of egotism? John said of Jesus—"Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world; … the same is He that baptizeth with the Holy Spirit" (John i. 29, 33). Christ's twofold office here is to "take away sin," and "to baptize with the Holy Spirit." Each one who knows Christ as the "Sin-bearer" should have an experimental acquaintance with Him as the "Baptizer" too. Indeed, this alone is full salvation. To have sin taken away is but half salvation; to be "baptized with the Holy Spirit" as well, is to possess full salvation. Now, if Christ has taken away a man's sin, may that man not know it? Certainly. And if he knows it, may he not bear witness to the fact? Nay, does Christ not expect him to confess?—to tell what great things the Lord hath done for him? No right-thinking person would regard it as wrong for a saved man to confess his Saviour, or would regard his confession as egotism. By parity of reasoning, if Christ has baptized a pardoned man with the Holy Ghost, may that man not know it? Surely! and if he knows it, may he not bear witness to the fact? May he not tell what still greater things the Lord hath done for him? Would this be wrong? Must this necessarily be egotism? At the same time, while it is perfectly scriptural for a Spirit-filled man to testify, for Christ's glory, as to the Infilling of the Holy Spirit when questioned upon it—for we must be careful not to libel the grace of God that is in us, and not to grieve the Holy Spirit by ignoring Him or His work within us—one cannot be too careful lest he be found casting his "pearls before the swine" (Matt. vii. 6), and as a rule it will be better in this matter to let the life speak rather than the tongue. Indeed it will not often be necessary for the Spirit-filled man to be questioned on the subject at all; his speech will betray him, his manner of life, his fruitful service.
CHAPTER XVIII.
MAY ONE LOSE THE BLESSING?
The question trembles from many a lip—If I get the blessing, may I lose it? Most certainly. But, glory be to God! He has made ample provision for failure. There is no reason why we should fail; God has made ample provision against failure; we must not expect to fail; but in case we do fail, provision has been made. The most prolific cause of loss is disobedience—disobedience either to one of God's written commands, or to the inward promptings of His Holy Spirit. "The Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey Him" (Acts v. 32). This all-glorious gift is not only obtained but retained in connection with obedience. It is absolutely necessary to maintain the attitude of complete self-surrender, for the slightest act of disobedience—that is, the asserting of our own will in opposition to His will—may cost us the loss of the blessing, such as, neglecting to speak to a man about the great salvation, or, refusing to give a tract to some one when we knew God wanted us to do so. We must learn to be obedient to the promptings of the Spirit. "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord" (Ps. xxv. 15) must be our constant attitude.
If we possess the blessing, and desire to retain it, there is another matter of the last importance that must be attended to, viz., letting "the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom" (Col. iii. 16). The Spirit-filled man will be a Word-filled man. A neglected Bible is responsible for much of the lost blessing from which many of God's children are suffering to-day. If we would retain the blessing in its fullness and freshness, we must feed daily and feed much upon Christ as He is revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures. It is the function of the indwelling Spirit to take of the things of Christ, and to show them unto us (John xvi. 14). He does not speak from Himself or of Himself, but of Jesus; and so He will be continually drawing us to the Word, that He may have the opportunity of drawing our attention to fresh beauties in Immanuel. There is much so-called reading of the Bible that is not "searching the Scriptures" (John v. 39), not "delighting in the law of the Lord," not "meditating in it day and night" (Ps. i. 2), not "letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly." You cannot live a Spirit-filled life, and be content with a shallow, meager acquaintance with the Divine Word. The Spirit-filled man gives God's Book its own proud place, the premier place, in all his reading. It is instructive to compare the effects of being filled with the Spirit and of being filled with the Word. "Be filled with the Spirit; speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord" (Eph. v. 18). "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God" (Col. iii. 16).