[239] XV. To this day it is fo with many of the Noncons)rmifts : Thofe that live where they find fnall need of their Preaching, or elfe have no call or opportunity, and cannot remove their dwellings, do hold no Affemblies, but as other men content themfelves to be Auditors. Thole that live where are godly and peaceable Mini- Qers in Publick, who yet net. d help, do lead the people constantly to the Parifh-Churches, and teach them themfi lves at other hours, and help them trom houfh to houle : This is ordinary in the Countries, and even in London, with many I!nifters that hold no Affernblies; yea many that Were ejected our ofCaty Parifh-Churches. XVI. Tho e called Independents do keep up fuchChurches as they had gathered before; vvhen none of our prefent oaths, declarations, fubfcrip- ti.ons or prat` ices were irpofed on them; which is not therefore tobe taken as new, XVII. As to the ref}, it was the great and .ter tibie Plague in 1665, which made this change in their Arfembling and Miniífration. When the pub- lick Miniffers forfook the City, and the rich left the poor to mifery and death, and people lookt every day for -their haft; when they that heard a ernlon one day, were buried the next ; when death had awakened the people to Repentance, and a regard of their everlafing date, divers Nonconforntahle Minifters refolved to fay with them ; The}' beg'd money out of theCoräntries. for the poor, and relieved them : They got into the empty Pulpits, and preached to them : And when Preache:-s and Hearers looks every day for their laft, it is carte to conceive that there was fe rioais Preachìnga and ferious Hearing.: By this many
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