The Holy Spirit was “sent down from heaven,” and, blessed be God, He is here still and will abide with us forever. “By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles” (1 Cor. 12:13). This was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It was the formation of “one body” on earth, of which Christ is the Head in heaven. Wondrous work! Who but a divine person could be sufficient to unite all believers on earth to Christ the Head in heaven and to one another in “one body”? It was done by the coming of the Holy Spirit. Precious mystery of divine grace and power and wisdom!
If the Holy Spirit Himself is here and in us, and He gives not the Spirit by measure, how could we ask for a further measure of the Spirit? Impossible that an intelligent God-fearing soul could do so! And if the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the formation on earth of all believers into one body, how could we ask for a fresh baptism of the Spirit? Could the “one body” be formed by “one Spirit” over and over again? Far be the thought! This was the Pentecostal blessing, and it was when the body was formed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Things New and Old, Vol. 25, p. 161