The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…

L. But what need is there of your Preaching? Have we not Ministers […] without you? Hath not every Parish one? and some say many Thousands are Ordained of late that want Benefices.

L. But what need is there of your Preaching? Have we not Ministers 〈…〉 without you? Hath not every Parish one? and some say many Thousands are Ordained of late that want Benefices.

M. Whether our Ministry be needful is matter of Fact so easily discernible to Englishmen, that I think him scarce meet for these debates that doubteth of it, if he know the Land. 1. The Supernumeraries that want Benefices, do not help the needy Parishes, but dwell in the Universities, or as Chaplains in Great Mens Houses, to read the Common-Prayer and say Grace at Meat, till a Benefice fall. ⟨p. 159⟩2. The greater sort of Parishes have more Work than many Ministers can do: They have besides Study and Preaching, Children to Baptize, Godfathers to Examine whether ever they Communicated, Communicants must beforehand give them notice, the scandalous and contentious must be admonished▪ all the Communicants examined, whether they are Confirmed or ready and desirous to be Confirmed, all that Communicate are not to have their Names taken and sent in to the Bishop; all that a•e refused the Sacrament to be notified to the Count, and prosecuted, the Sick to be visited, the ignorant and impenitent to be taught and exhorted; Marrying, Burying the Poor to be taken care of, and much more. And about London it is credibly said, that there can be no less in the great Parishes than two Hundred thousand Persons more than the Parish-Churches will hold: Its thought that Martins, and Giles's in the Fields, and Giles•s C••pplegate, and Stepney alone, have near an Hundred and Fourscore, if not Two Hundred Thousand Persons in them: A tender hearted Man would be loth to Famish, or otherwise Kill two Hundred Thousand Dogs: It was the greatest Massacre that hath been heard of in any credible History of late (if not at any time) when the Irish in so small a compass murdered two Hundred Thousand Protestants: But to starve Souls, or by omission of our Duty to betray them to that Ignorance and Ungodliness which is the Cause of Damnation, is worse than to Kill the Body. There cannot past 4000 hear in these Churches: Yea, usually, not past 2000 can hear the Preacher's Voice, intelligently; though 5000 or 6000 may come within the Doors. And if you suppose that in these 4 Parishes, 16000 may hear one Day, and those stay at home, and 16000 more hear the next Day (or time) 32000 is but a small part of Eight score thousand: