we take the church of Cenchrea (which is a harbor or seaport to
Corinth) to be comprised within the church of Corinth, as some learned
authors do conceive it may.[112]


POSITION II.

That there is in the word of Christ a pattern of one presbyterial
government in common over divers single congregations in one church.
This may be evidenced by these following considerations: For,

1. Divers single congregations are called one church, as hath at large
been proved in the second position immediately foregoing; inasmuch as
all the believers in Jerusalem are counted one church: yet those
believers are more in number than could meet for all ordinances in any
one single congregation. And why are divers congregations styled one
church? 1. Not in regard of that oneness of heart and soul which was
among them, "having all things common," &c., Acts iv. 32. For these
affections and actions of kindness belonged to them by the law of
brotherhood and Christian charity to one another, (especially
considering the then present condition of believers,) rather than by any
special ecclesiastical obligation, because they were members of such a
church. 2. Not in regard of any explicit church covenant, knitting them
in one body. For we find neither name nor thing, print nor footstep of
any such thing as a church covenant in the church of Jerusalem, nor in
any other primitive apostolical church in all the New Testament; and to
impose an explicit church covenant upon the saints as a necessary
constituting form of a true visible Church of Christ, and without which
it is no Church, is a mere human invention, without all solid warrant
from the word of God. 3. Not in regard of the ministration of the word,