THE KING’S BUSINESS
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cuse the danger of attending public ser vice. They were called to endure a great fight of afflictions, made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and persecutions, and forced to take the spoiling of their goods. They might have urged, there fore, that under the circumstances it would be better to worship God privately and secretly; but in the face of all their reasonings towers up the commanding authority of the eternal Spirit, “Not for saking the assembling of ourselves to gether, as the manner of some is.” What, then, Shall be said of those who have far less excuse for absenting them selves from the metings of the brethren? They may try to persuade themselves that they do not stand in need of instruc tion, and that no benefit can be derived from public worship, owing to the pri vate opportunities of improvement which they possess. But against all arguments, however satisfactory to themselves, is the imperative order of God, “Not forsak ing the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is." This is enough for every true believer, and it will scatter his difficulties and objections to the wind in a moment. Alas! there is much reason to conclude that worldliness has come into the hearts of those who now forsake the assembly of the saints, and worldliness is the fore runner of spiritual lethargy, and spiri tual lethargy is the precursor of final and fatal apostacy, unless the sovereign grace of Christ awakes from the terrible slumber. This does not in the least in terfere with the present and certain sal vation of the real believer, but it surely ought to arouse all from dangerous sleep to watchful exhortation; and so much the more as we see the day approach ing. It is a day of such overwhelming moment to all, that the day of Jerusa lem’s destruction is but its faintest type. The only other place in which the word assembling together is found, lends to it additional solemnity and tender ness: “We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Ohrist, and our gathering together unto him,” (2 Thess. ii. 1). Surely the assembling to gether here has some bearing upon the joy of our gathering together there, and upon the measure of our Lord’s approval of our earthly service and testimony. It is not, therefore, for His followers to meet in order to please themselves, but to please Him, and we may be assured that every such meeting, though it be worthless as the giving of a cup of cold water, He will remember.
of Jesus, and with his brethren,” waiting for the presence and power of the Holy Ghost, (Acts i. 14). “When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place,” (Acts ii, 1); “and being let go, they went to their own company,” (Acts iv. 23). Paul and his companions “went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made,” (Acts rvi. 13, 16); and “upon the first day of the week, when the dis ciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them,” (Acts xx. 7). There are many other proofs and il lustrations of the assembling of the saints for instruction, prayer, worship or discipline; and this plainly according to the mind and word of God. “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1 Cor. v. 4). In the commemoration of the Saviour’s death it was enjoined, “when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another,” (1 Cor. xi. 33); and it was the custom with His sanction -that “the whole church be come together into one place,” (1 Cor. xiv. 23). Those who re fused thus to come together, departing from the faith, and mocking at the prom ise of His coming, are described as “they who separate themselves, sensual, hav ing not the Spirit,” (Jude 19). On the other hand, in an evil and trying time, “they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord heark ened, and heard, and a book of remem brance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name,” (Mai. iii. 16). But if there was no other precept about it in all the word of God, surely it is enough to read the plain admonition of the Holy Ghost, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and'so much the more as ye see the day approaching,” (Heb. 10:25). Here it stands as an un changeable part of the inspired Scriptures; and the professing Christian who deliberately disregards it may well ask himself the question, whether he really has passed from death unto life, or whether he has only a name to live, while dead. Nothing but good can fol low from giving heed to the direction of the Spirit of truth; nothing but evil can result from disobedience. The Hebrew Christians who had fallen into this manner or custom of forsaking the assembling of themselves together might have pleaded as a sufficient ex- i
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