The reasons of the Dissenting Brethren against the third proposition, concerning presbyterial government· Humbly…

First those three thousand who were converted, Chap. 2. were not settled dwellers at Jerusalem, but strangers, Commorants of the ten Tribes, which were dispersed in all those Countries mentioned in the 2 Chapter, Verse 9. who came up to the feast of Pentecost, as the manner of the Jews was, Acts 21. 20, 27, 28. Jews that lived in Asia came to the feast of Pentecost as Paul also did, compared with Acts 20. 16. And the word which is translated Dwellers at Jerusalem, is interpreted by an eminent Critic, Sojourners at Jerusalem during this Feast, although the word¹ signifies both, and to that end quotes the Septuagint in 1. Kings 17. 20. where Elijah cries unto the Lord, saying, O Lord my God hast thou also brought evil upon the Widow, [Greek or Hebrew] with whom I sojourn only? and that which confirms it is, that they are said to be dwellers or inhabitants of Mesopotamia and Judea, and Cappadocia, Verse 9. They could not fixedly belong as dwellers to both, they were therefore rather sojourners in Jerusalem now at the Feast, though fixed dwellers in all those places: For if they were fixed dwellers in Jerusalem, to what end whilst they were at Jerusalem should the Evangelist tell us they were sojourners in Mesopotamia; and they must needs rather be dwellers there, because they are said to understand every one his own language. And that which strengthens this is, that in the Greek there is this difference in the words in Verses 5 and 9. in that they are said [Greek or Hebrew] in Jerusalem. As for the present there, yea, and as to come [Greek or Hebrew] from out of every Nation: but in the 9 Verse he changeth it, and says, [Greek or Hebrew], as inhabitants of Mesopotamia, and those other Countries ⟨p. 19⟩where their fixed possessions were. And therefore Verse 14. he calls them Men, Jews and Dwellers at Jerusalem, as two sorts, and Verse 22. Men of Israel; the stile given those of the ten Tribes scattered, Men devout, as Verse 5. who came up at those solemn times, having wives and children and their families at home, to whom they used after a time to return. Now although these were added and made members of that Church, and are said to continue in the Apostles doctrine: yet that will not necessarily imply that they continued all the time till the dispersion at Jerusalem;