fication, and not a justification
under the gospel, and Pentecost was the receiving of the New Testament
justification." Did you ever hear of a justification under the law spoken
of as the experience of the disciples was spoken of by the Savior? They
were not like the other Jews that kept the law. They were separated from
them and persecuted by them. Jesus said, "Ye have followed me in the
regeneration." Mat. 19:28. It was not a justification under the law, but a
regeneration in Christ.

In John, seventeenth chapter, after telling the Father that he had chosen
them out of the world and kept them in his name, that none of them should
be lost, he then prays for their sanctification. After saying in the
sixteenth verse, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the
world," in the next verse he prays the Father to sanctify them. In Mat.
9:2, Jesus says to the man sick of the palsy, "Son, be of good cheer, thy
sins be forgiven thee." Was not this a gospel justification or pardon?
There was no offering of the blood of animals to secure a justification by
the law. This is to prove that Christ did give his followers the
experience of the "new birth" before his crucifixion. I do not doubt that
this man was present and received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Another clear example set before us of the Christians in the morning of
this gospel day receiving the Holy Spirit as the third person in the
trinity after regeneration, is that of the brethren at Samaria, recorded
in Acts, eighth chapter. Philip went down thither and preached Christ unto
them, and they gave heed to the things he spake, ver. 5, 6. Do you not
think this was a New Testament justification? The seventh verse says that
unclean spirits were cast out and the palsied and lame were healed. Do you
suppose that all this was done unto sinners? The fourteenth verse says
they "received the word." James says, "Receive with meekness the engrafted
word, which is able to save your souls." Jas. 1:21. The sixteenth verse of
the eighth chapter of Acts says they were baptized in the name of Jesus.
The seventeenth verse speaks of their reception of the Holy Spirit. Some
are at this point ready to say that Simon believed Philip's preaching and
was baptized, and yet not saved. This is very true. He was a hypocrite.
The remainder were not, you know full well. Because they were sincere they
received an experience, and were made fit subjects to receive the Holy
Spirit. Because he w