Part 17 (1/2)
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 mult.i.tude 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 G.o.d 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.
_Except_. Although it should be granted that before the dispersion mentioned Acts viii. 1, 2, the number was so great that they could not meet together in one place, yet the persecution so wasted and scattered them all, that there were no more left than might meet in one congregation?
_Ans_. After the dispersion there were more believers in Jerusalem than could meet together in one place for all acts of wors.h.i.+p, as appears by Acts ix. 31, ”The churches had rest throughout all Judea,” &c., ”and were multiplied;” Acts xii. 24, ”The word of G.o.d grew and multiplied;”
and Acts xxi. 20, James saith of the believers of this church, ”how many thousands of the Jews there are which believe, and are zealous of the law;” or, as it is in the Greek, thou seest how many _ten thousands_ there are of the Jews which believe; this text will evince, that there were many thousands in the church of Jerusalem after the dispersion, as hath been observed: and if this number were not more after the dispersion than could meet together to partake of all ordinances, let the reader judge.
_Except_. But the text saith expressly, all were scattered except the apostles.
_Ans_. _All_ must be understood either of all the believers, or all the teachers and church officers in the church of Jerusalem, except believers; but it cannot be understood of all the believers that they were scattered: and therefore it must be understood that all the teachers and church officers were scattered, except the apostles. That all the believers were not scattered will easily appear: For, 1. 'Tis said that Paul broke into houses, ”haling men and women, committed them to prison,” ver. 3, and this he did in Jerusalem, Acts xxvi. 10; therefore all could not be scattered. 2. ”They that were scattered, preached the word,” ver. 4, which all the members, men and women, could not do; therefore by all that were scattered must of necessity be meant, not the body of believers in the church, but only the officers of the church. 3. If all the believers were scattered, to what end did the apostles tarry at Jerusalem--to preach to the walls? this we cannot imagine.
_Except_. But can any think the teachers were scattered, and the ordinary believers were not, except we suppose the people more courageous to stay by it than their teachers?
_Ans_. It is hard to say, that those that are scattered in a persecution, are less courageous than those that stay and suffer. In the time of the bishops' tyranny, many of the Independent ministers did leave this kingdom, while others of their brethren did abide by it, endured the heat and burden of the day, ”had trial of cruel mockings, bonds and imprisonments:” now the Independent ministers that left us, would think we did them wrong, should we say that they were less courageous than those that stayed behind, enduring the hot brunt of persecution.
II. From the mult.i.tude of church officers in Jerusalem, it may further appear, that there were more congregations than one in the church of Jerusalem. For there were many apostles, prophets, and elders in this church of Jerusalem, as is plain, if we consider these following pa.s.sages in the Acts of the Apostles. After Christ's ascension, ”the eleven apostles returned to Jerusalem, and continued in prayer and supplication,” Acts i. 12-14. Matthias chosen by lot, was also ”numbered with the eleven apostles,” Acts i. 26. ”And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place,” Acts ii. 1.
”Peter standing up with the eleven, lift up his voice and said,” Acts ii. 14. ”They were p.r.i.c.ked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Acts ii. 37.
”And the same day there were added about three thousand souls, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellows.h.i.+p, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers,” Acts ii. 42. ”And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,” Acts iv. 33. ”As many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet,” Acts iv. 34, 35, 37. ”Then the twelve called the mult.i.tude of the disciples to them,” Acts vi. 2. ”Now, when the apostles which were at Jerusalem,” Acts viii. 14. ”They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders; and the apostles and elders came together,” Acts xv. 2, 4, 6, 22, 23; xi. 30. And ”in those days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch,” Acts xi. 27. In all which places, the mult.i.tude of apostles, elders, and prophets in this church of Jerusalem is evident. And it is further observable, that the apostles devolved the serving of tables upon the seven deacons, that they might wholly ”give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word,” Acts vi, 2; which needed not, nor would there have been full employment for the apostles, if there had not been divers congregations in that one church of Jerusalem.
_Except_. 'Tis true, the apostles were for a time in Jerusalem, yet when in Judea or elsewhere any received the gospel, the apostles went abroad to erect other churches.
_Ans_. Touching the apostles going abroad, there can be given but one instance, Acts viii. 14, where the whole twelve went not forth, but only two were sent, viz. Peter and John: but suppose it were granted, that upon some special occasions the apostles went out from Jerusalem, can it be imagined that the apostles' ordinary abode would be at Jerusalem, to attend only one single congregation, as if that would fill all their hands with work?
_Except_. The apostles were well employed when they met in an upper room, and had but one hundred and twenty for their flock, and this for forty days together; now if they stayed in Jerusalem when they had but one hundred and twenty, and yet had their hands filled with work, the presence of the apostles argues not more congregations in Jerusalem than could meet in one place for all acts of wors.h.i.+p.
_Ans_. 1. From Christ's ascension (immediately after which they went up to the upper chamber) to the feast of Pentecost, there were but ten days, not forty; so that there is one mistake.
2. During that time betwixt Christ's ascension and the feast of Pentecost, (whether ten or forty days is not very material,) the apostles were especially taken up in prayer and supplication, waiting for the promise of the Spirit to qualify them for the work of the ministry: now, because the twelve apostles, before they had received the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, did continue for a short time in Jerusalem with a small number in prayer, will it therefore follow that after they had received these extraordinary gifts, that they were bound up within the limits of one single congregation?
_Except_. The argument that there were many teachers in Jerusalem, proves not that there were more congregations in Jerusalem than one, because there were then many gifted men, which were not officers, which yet occasionally instructed others, as Aquila did Apollos; therefore it seems they were only gifted persons, not officers.
_Ans_. 1. Grant that in those times there were many gifted men, not in office, which might occasionally instruct others, as Aquila did Apollos; yet it is further to be noted, that,
2. This instructing must be either private, or public; if private only, then the objection is of no force, (because these teachers instructed publicly;) if in public, then if this objection were of force, it would follow, that women might instruct publicly, because Priscilla, as well as Aquila, instructed Apollos.
3. The current of expositors say, that the seventy disciples were at Jerusalem among the one hundred and twenty, Acts i. 16, who were teachers by office.
III. From the variety of languages among the disciples at Jerusalem, it is evident there were more congregations than one in that one church: the diversity of languages among them is plainly mentioned in divers places, ”And there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven. Now every man heard them speak in his own language,” &c., Acts ii. 5, 8-12. Now, of those that heard this variety of languages, and Peter's sermon thereupon, ”They that gladly received his word, were baptized, and the same day there were added about three thousand souls,” Acts ii. 41, which diversity of languages necessitated those members of the church of Jerusalem to enjoy the ordinances in divers distinct congregations in their own language. And that they might so do, the Spirit furnished the apostles, &c., with diversity of languages, which diversity of languages were as well for edification of them within the Church, as for a sign to them that were without.
_Except_. Though the Jews being dispersed were come in from other countries, yet they were all generally learned, and understood the Hebrew tongue, the language of their own nation, so that diversity of tongues proves not, that of necessity there must be distinct places to meet in.