Fifth, The promise of the Comforter was ful filled on the day of our Lord's resurrection, which was also the day of His ascension in behalf of His people; but the promise of the Spirit as the power of testimony and service was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, following His visible and final ascension to the right hand of God. The same twofold relation of Christ, first secretly to His own, and then openly in connection with them to the world at large, runs all through the Scriptures. He comes for His saints, and afterwards appears with them.

John xx. 22.—And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Compare with Gen. ii. 7.—And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

John xx. 17.—Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Compare with Matt. xxviii. 9.—And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Acts i. 8.—But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter most part of the earth.

Acts ii. 1-17. Compare with Joel ii. 23-32.—Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain to the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the  moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

It shows a lack of intelligence for Christians to pray for the Spirit as if He were given occasion ally, or as if He had taken His departure; but it is proper to pray for the increased manifestations of His presence and power.

John xiv. 16, 17.—And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Acts ii. 33.—Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. Acts iv. 31.—And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together: and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Acts v. 32.—And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Acts vi. 5, 8.—And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch. * * * * And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

Acts vii. 55.—But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.

Acts viii. 17, 29, 39.—Then laid they their hands on thein, and they received the Holy Ghost. * * * * Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. * * * * And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Acts ix. 31.—Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Acts x. 44.—While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

Acts xi. 24.—For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

Acts xiii. 2-4.—As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

Acts xv. 8.—And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us.

Acts xvi. 6, 7.—Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit suffered them not.

Acts xix. 6.—And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Acts xx. 28.—Take heed therefore unto your selves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Acts xxi. 11.—And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

Eph. i. 17.—That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and Revelation in the know ledge of him.

Rev. xxii. 16, 17.—I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Mal. iv. 2.—But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.