3. Besides a great number of testimonies, there are reasons to induce us to believe, that the three thousand are not included in the five thousand, viz: 1. As the three thousand mentioned in Acts ii. 41, did not comprehend the one hundred and twenty mentioned Acts i. 15, so it holds in proportion that the three thousand mentioned there, are not comprehended here in Acts iv. 4. Besides, 2. This sermon was not by intention to the church, or numbers already converted, but by occasion of the multitude flocking together to behold the miracle Peter and John wrought on the "man that was lame from his mother's womb;" as Acts iii. 10-12; so that 'tis more than probable that the five thousand mentioned Acts iv. 4, are a number superadded besides the three thousand already converted. _Except_. But suppose such a number as three thousand, and afterwards five thousand were converted in Jerusalem, yet these remained not constant members of that Church, for the three thousand were not dwellers at Jerusalem, but strangers who came out of all countries to keep the feast of Pentecost: yea, Acts ii. 9, they are said expressly to be "dwellers of Mesopotamia, Cappadocia," &c., and so might erect churches where they came. _Ans_. 1. 'Tis said, Acts ii. 14, "Peter standing" (when he began to preach this sermon wherein the three thousand were converted) "said, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, hearken to my voice;" intimating that these he preached to dwelt at Jerusalem. But grant that some of these men that heard Peter's sermon were formerly dwellers in Mesopotamia and Cappadocia, what hinders but that they might be now dwellers at Jerusalem? 3. The occasion of their coming up to Jerusalem at this time was not only the observation of the feast of Pentecost, (which lasted but a day,) but also the great expectation that the people of the Jews then had of the appearance of the Messiah in his kingdom, as we may collect from Luke xix. 11, where it is said, "They thought the kingdom of God should immediately appear;" so that now they might choose to take up their dwellings at Jerusalem, and not return, as they had been wont, at the end of their usual feasts. 4. The Holy Ghost makes mention that in the particular places mentioned, ver. 9, 10, that of all those nations there were some that dwelt at Jerusalem; read Acts ii. 5, "There were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven;" if out of every nation, then out of those nations there specified; and even there dwelling at Jerusalem. 5. Those who were scattered by reason of persecution into Judea and Samaria, and other parts of the world, did not erect new churches, but were still members of that one church in Jerusalem; so saith the Scripture expressly, that "they" (of the church of Jerusalem) "were all scattered abroad throughout the region of Judea and Samaria," Acts viii. 1.