SECT. XV.
VII. The Seventh Part of required Obedience.
1. THE Seventh Part of the Obedience re∣quired of us, is that we come not within five miles of any City or Corporation which sendeth Burgesses to Parliament, or to any other place what∣ever, where we have ever preached since the Act of Oblivion; except on the Rode or summoned.
2. Many Ministers have their friends, houses, and all that they have, in those forbidden pla∣ces.
3. The greatest places being most populous Page 219 have most need of Preachers, many souls being more precious than few, and the publick Tea∣chers that have many thousands, needing more help than they that have but little charges.
4. Few Ministers are rich enough to be able to sell their houses and goods at loss (when per∣haps none will take them,) and to take houses in other Countries.
5. A great part of the Land is seated so neer Corporations, that it is hard to find a place that is above five miles off them; And some Ministers have Preached about in so many places, that it is hard to find a place within their reach, above five miles from the places which they have preached in: And in such places, it is rare to find empty houses, and Landlords that will let them on terms which they are capable of: so hard to them is this confinement.
6. They think that men can no more disoblige them from preaching to many in Cities and Cor∣porations, than to four or five in Villages; seeing the Churches of old were planted most in Cities, and Christ saith not, [forsake all the souls in Ci∣ties if they bid you,] but [When you are persecu∣cuted in one City fly to another.]
7. Though we live not to eat, we must eat to live; and when Ministers that have nothing, are like to beg or famish among strangers in poor Villages, and bigger places do more call for help, and will allow them bread, they think it no sin to eat bread any more than to give bread to o∣thers that are in want.
8. The former Laws send them when they are in beggery, to be kept by the Parishes where they last lived; and this Law forbids them to come within five miles of them.
