In Acts x. 44, we read of Peter's preaching Jesus to Cornelius,
the Roman centurion, and his household; and "while Peter yet
spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard
the word"; and in Acts xv. 7-9, at the first Council in
Jerusalem, we have Peter's rehearsal of the experience of
Cornelius and his household. Peter says: "Men and brethren, ye
know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the
Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel, and
believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness,
giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; and put no
difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith."
Here we see that their believing, and the sudden descent of the
Holy Ghost with cleansing power into their hearts, constitute one
blessed experience.
What patient, waiting, expectant faith reckons done, the baptism
with the Holy Ghost actually accomplishes. Between the act of
faith by which a man begins to reckon himself "dead indeed unto
sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans
vi. 11), and the act of the Holy Spirit, which makes the
reckoning good, there may be an interval of time, "a little
while" (Hebrews x. 37); but the act and state of steadfastly,
patiently, joyously, perfectly believing, which is man's part,
and the act of baptising with the Holy Ghost, cleansing as by
fire, which is God's part, bring about the one experience of
entire sanctification, and must not and cannot be logically
looked upon as two distinct blessings, any more than the act of
the husband and the act of the wife can be separated in the one
experience of marriage.
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