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?