ive apostolical churches of
Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, and Corinth, were not every of them
severally and respectively only one single congregation, (as some
imagine,) but consisted every of them of more congregations than one.
This shall be manifested in these four churches severally, as followeth:

The church of Jerusalem in Judea contained in it more congregations than
one. This may be convincingly evidenced divers ways, particularly from,
1. The multitude of believers in that church. 2. The multitude of church
officers there. 3. The variety of languages there. 4. The manner of the
Christians' public meetings in those primitive times, both in the church
of Jerusalem, and in other churches.

1. From the multitude of believers in the church of Jerusalem. For it is
palpably evident to any impartial reader that will not wilfully shut his
eyes, and subject his reason unto the groundless dictates of men,
against the clear light of the Scripture, that there were more believers
in the church of Jerusalem, than could ordinarily meet in one
congregation, to partake of all the ordinances of Christ.

And this may fully appear by these many instances following. 1. Christ
after his resurrection, and before his ascension, "was seen of above
five hundred brethren at once," 1 Cor. xv. 6. 2. "After that of James,
then of all the apostles," ver. 7. 3. At the election of Matthias, and
before Christ's ascension, there were disciples together, the "company
of their names together was as it were one hundred and twenty," Acts i.
15. 4. At Peter's sermon, "they that gladly received his word, were
baptized. And that day were added about three thousand souls," Acts ii.
1, 4. 5. And "The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be
saved," ver. 27. 6. Afterwards at another of Peter's sermons, "Many of
them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about
five thousand," Acts iv. 4. 7. After that, "Believers were the more
added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women," Acts v. 14. 8.
Furthermore, the disciples multiplying, and the work of the ministry
thereupon much increasing, the apostles were necessitated to appoint
seven deacons for serving of tables, that they might wholly "give
themselves to the ministry of the word and prayer," Acts vi. 1 to 7;
whence some have thought, that there were seven congregations in
Jerusalem, a deacon for every one. Certainly there were rather more than
fewer, (saith the author of t