o the period intervening between the two blessings,
we know that in the case of the apostles in Acts ii. 4, three or three
and a half years elapsed between the day when they heard the "Follow Me,"
and the day when they were "filled;" in the cases of the Samaritans in
Acts viii. 17, and of the Ephesians in Acts xix. 1-7, some weeks; in the
case of Saul in Acts ix. 17, three days. But as we have already noticed
in the case of Cornelius and his household in Acts x. 44, they were
regenerated and filled the same day. From this we gather that, as far as
God is concerned, there is no needs-be for any intervening period, but
that the believer _may_ be "filled" as soon as he is "born again;" the
"Life" almost as soon as we get it may blossom into "Life abundantly." If
we did not "receive the Holy Ghost _when_" we believed, and if we have
not "received" Him _since_ we believed, and are not living _now_ the
Spirit-filled life, at whose door then does the blame lie?

CHAPTER VIII.

_OTHER NEW TESTAMENT NAMES FOR "BEING
FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT."_

That we may see how full the New Testament is of this blessing, and that
we may the better understand what it is and how it is obtained, let us
just glance at some other terms used by the Holy Ghost when speaking of
it.

_1. "Baptized with the Holy Ghost."_

"Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts i.
5). See also Acts xi. 16, Matt. iii. 11, Mark i. 8, Luke iii. 16, John i.
33. Now, though "baptized" and "filled" are sometimes convertible terms,
it is instructive to note that they are not always so. The promise in
Acts i. 5, "Ye shall be baptized," was fulfilled in Acts ii. 4, "And they
were all filled," where "filled" is used for "baptized." In Acts iv. 8 we
read, "Peter filled with the Holy Ghost," and in ver. 31, "They were all
filled with the Holy Ghost;" where the word "baptized" could _not_ be
used instead of the word "filled." The difference is this: the "baptism"
is received but once; it is, so to speak, the initiatory rite to the life
of Pentecostal service, and fullness, and victory. Life begins at the
Cross, but service begins at Pentecost. If there has been no Baptism,
there has been no Pentecost; and if no Pentecost, no service worth the
name. "Tarry until ye be clothed with power," said the Master (Luke xxiv.
49); "Wait for the promise" (Acts i. 4); "Ye shall be baptized with the
Holy Ghost not many days hence" (Acts i. 5); "Ye shall