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the world was another means of edification, and was the proper work of elders or pastors; but all the public instruction of the church did not devolve on these teachers, the mutual exhortations of the brethren, was another means expressly and repeatedly enjoined in their stated assemblies. "Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together; but exhorting one another. [1] None of the members who have any gifts are exempted from this duty, except women who are enjoined to keep silence in the churches.[2]Thus the various gifts of the members have room for exercise, that "speaking the truth in love, they may grow up unto him in all things who is the Head; [3] and thus we see that an assembly of believers, having the Scriptures among them, can never be without the means of edification and comfort.
They continued stedfastly in the fellowship, or contribution for the poor, and other necessary purposes, agreeable to the apostle's injunction;-"Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him." [4]
They also continued stedfastly in the breaking of bread, or observance of that ordinance which Christ instituted on that night in which he was betrayed, and which is more generally called the Lord's Supper. In this ordinance, by the significant actions of eating bread and drinking wine, believers are called to commemorate his dying love, when he gave his body to be broken and his blood shed, in order to effect the salvation ; and so often as they did this they would shew forth the Lord’s death until he came.[5] With respect to the frequency the ordinance is to be observed, the example of the church at Troas may be deemed satisfactory evidence:—"Upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together ⟨to⟩ break bread." [6] If this passage proves that the first churches statedly assembled for worship every first
