amely in full possession of all
rights conferred by being a born son of full age. Now note carefully
that this Book of Acts marks the transition from the one period to the
other. And so one needs to be discriminating in applying the experiences
of men passing through a transition period to those who live wholly
afterwards.

The After-Teaching.

The after-Pentecost teaching, that is the personal relation to the
Spirit by one who has received Him to-day, may best be learned from the
epistles. Paul's letters form the bulk of the New Testament after the
Book of Acts is passed. They contain the Spirit's _after-teaching_
regarding much which the disciples were not yet able to receive from
Jesus' own lips. They were written to churches that were far from ideal.
They were composed largely of people dug out of the darkest heathenism.
And with the infinite patience and tact of the Spirit Paul writes to
them with a pen dipped in his own heart.

A rather careful run through these thirteen letters brings to view two
things about the relation of these people to the Holy Spirit. First
there are certain _allusions_ or references to the Spirit, and then
certain _exhortations_. Note first these _allusions_.[28] They are
numerous. In them it is constantly _assumed_ that these people _have
received the Holy Spirit_. Paul's dealing with the twelve disciples whom
he found at Ephesus[29] suggests his habit in dealing with all whom he
taught. Reading that incident in connection with these letters seems to
suggest that in every place he laid great stress upon the necessity of
the Spirit's control in every life. And now in writing back to these
friends nearly all the allusions to the Spirit are in language that
_assumes_ that they have surrendered fully and been filled with His
presence.

There are just four _exhortations_ about the Holy Spirit. It is
significant to notice what these are not. They are not exhorted to seek
the baptism of the Holy Spirit nor to wait for the filling. There is no
word about refillings, fresh baptisms or anointings. For these people,
unlike most of us to-day, have been thoroughly instructed regarding the
Spirit and presumably have had the great radical experience of His full
incoming. On the other hand notice what these exhortations _are_. To the
Thessalonians in his first letter he says, "_Quench not_ the
Spirit."[30] To the disciples scattered throughout the province of
Galatia who had been much disturbed by