The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…

IV. The Ministers that dwell in Cities or Corporations, when they were cast out, did quietly surrender Temples and Tithes: But many of their people claimed the continuance of their Relation and Ministry; and many professed that they could not trust their souls to the Pastoral guidance and care of many of those who were placed in the Temples in their stead; and charged the neglect of their souls on such as refused.

IV. The Ministers that dwell in Cities or Corporations, when they were cast out, did quietly surrender Temples and Tythes: But many of their people claimed the continuance of their Relation and Ministry; and many professed that they could not trust their souls to the Pastoral guidance and care of many of those who were placed in the Temples in their stead; and charged the neglect of their souls on such as refused.

V. The Bills of Mortality show us that the 7 Parishes within the walls of London are not the seventh part of the whole, including all the outer Parishes: And of the 97 there were very few Churches left unburned; and there are but few that are yet built up; and instead of many, there are small Tabernacles, and instead of others nothing: And the outer Parishes are mostly so great, as that the Temples will hold but a small part of the people: It is conjectured by the Inhabitants, that in Martins Parish are about threescore thousand souls, and in Stepney and Giles's Cripplegate, each about fifty thousand, and in Giles's in the Fields between 20000 and 30000, and in Clements Danes, Margarets Westminster, ⟨p. 230⟩Andrews Holborn, Sepulchres, and the Churches in Southwark, at Aldgate, White-Chapel, Shoreditch, and divers others, there are in some six times the number that can hear in the Temples, in some more, and in others not much less. And in most Churches the Preachers voice will not extend to above two thousand, if more can come in. So that take one with another, and it is conjectured that it is not above the seventh or eight part of the Inhabitants that can come to hear in the outer Parishes: And if the other six or seven parts should seek for room in the emptier Churches of other Parished within the walls, it cannot be supposed that above one part of these six or seven would find room: So that all set together, there is supposed to be place but for about the fifth, or fourth part at most, of all the people within and without the walls: And London is to be denominated rather from three, four or five parts, than from One of these: And we all agree, that the famousest and happiest City for Religion in the world should not be left to turn Infidels, Pagans, Atheists, or to be kept from all public Worship of God. And it must be considered that the great Parishes where one of twenty cannot hear, are far off from the Churches that have room; and that such persons cannot easily know before-hand what Churches have room, and where to seek it: And that those that have most need, have least desire, and when they cannot be taught near home, will rather stay at home, or in the streets, or Ale houses, than go far to seek room in the Alleys of other Churches.