men full of the Holy Ghost,
although Stephen is the only one of whom it is expressly stated. He
was the most remarkable man of the seven, a man in whom the graces
of the Spirit shone with conspicuous brightness. So mighty was his
faith that special mention must needs be made of it. It is not
sufficient to describe him as a man full of the Holy Ghost, but it
must be stated that he was "a man full of faith _and_ of the Holy
Ghost." Faith was his outstanding grace.

Acts vii. 55, "He being full of the Holy Ghost." This was Stephen's
normal condition right up to the very end of his life; it was true
of him when we get our first glimpse of him, true also as he passes
within the vail into the unspeakable glory.

Acts xi. 24, Barnabas "was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost." A
good man indeed, and so full of the Spirit of God that there was no
room for self; for we read that he came into the midst of a great
revival, in the bringing about of which he had no hand, and instead
of being filled with envy at the divinely-chosen instruments,
instead of picking holes in the work and depreciating the whole
movement, he was filled with gladness; we read that he "was glad"
(ver. 23). It goes without saying that _that_ man was "full of the
Holy Ghost." How many there are nowadays who are not like Barnabas!

Having now considered the passages in which the various tenses are used,
we are able to answer the question--How does the blessing come? Does it
come once for all, or is it always coming? There are sudden definite
"fillings," repeated with more or less frequency; times when the believer
is conscious of being "filled," when he can say, "I was filled." Between
this experience--"filled" (which is an "Aorist" blessing)--and that which
should be the normal experience of every Christian, viz., "full" (which is
a "Present" blessing), it is evident that there is a great gap; but God
has graciously bridged the gap for us; the connecting link between the
"Aorist" _were filled_, and the "Present" _full_, is the "Imperfect"
"_were being filled_," so that the blessing is always coming. Does it
come once for all? A thousand times No!--if by that is meant that we are
reservoirs into which the Fullness is poured, so that once we are filled,
we are independent of fresh supplies from the Lord Jesus. That surely were
a curse instead of a