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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53956	The good old way, or, A discourse offer'd to all true-hearted Protestants concerning the ancient way of the Church and the conformity of the Church of England thereunto, as to its government, manner of worship, rites, and customs / by Edward Pelling.	Pelling, Edward, d. 1718.	1680 (1680)	Wing P1082; ESTC R24452	117,268	146

Affections 't would compose our Minds and our Affairs too 't would not only make us live together with one mind in an House but moreover it would establish our House and make it strong and firm and safe over our Heads For 't is not every difference in Opinion that exposeth a Church or a Nation to danger but 't is fighting and quarrelling about the Main way that ruins all We know that among the Turks there are several Sects and Parties and different persuasions and yet the Ottoman Empire holds though it be a most Arbitrary and Tyrannical Policy and the Interest of Mahomet is carried on though it be a most palpable and fulsome Imposture because though they jangle in matters of lesser moment yet they are true to their Common Interest and agree in the Main and closely adhere to their general Model of Government Religion and Worship In like manner among the Romanists themselves who boast so much of the Unity of their Church there are many very Considerable Divisions and more perhaps than there are among Us and those as hotly maintained and yet Herod and Pilate know how to agree against Christ the Scotists and Thomists the Molinists and Jansenists the Dominicans and Jesuits and the rest are wise enough to hang together under the Laws of their Church they go quietly and hand in hand in the main way they conspire in one Common Form they are tite to their Government and keep close to their Rubricks and Establishments and as long as the Pope can but keep things in this Channel either by the Terrours of the Inquisition or by other Politick Arts he knows that his and his Churches Interest is safe and he needs not make use of his pretended Infallibility to determine those points which are controverted I wish that we would learn so much wit of the Adversaries of True Religion as not to fall out there where the safety of us all is concern'd but walk together like Friends in that plain way which the Ancient Church hath beaten out before us and the Laws of our Land have fenced in for differences in matters of Speculation and points disputable could not hurt us or lay us open to danger if some among us were but True to our Common Interest if they would but stick to our Establishments which are the Rampiers and Bullwarks of the Church if they would but be as zealous for Christ as the Turk is for Mahomet or as the Jesuit is for Him whom some suppose to be Antichrist Nothing in all Probability can give us Rest to our Souls and Security to our Nation and Prosperity to our Religion but this one thing to seek after the good Old Way Men may please themselves with Fancies and try many fruitless Conclusions and make experiments of this and of that Expedient but the World will see in the end that nothing but the observing of the Old Path will put us into a good posture 4. But yet fourthly there is one huge Advantage more which the performance of this matter would bring unto us and that indeed which I shall chiefly insist on and it is this That it would justifie our whole Cause before all the World and cut off all just occasion from those who wrongfully upbraid us all for Innovators and under that pretence trepan many a Soul Where say they was your Religion before Luther Now the Dissenter is not able to answer this Question truly throughly or to satisfaction because a great part of his Religion was no where in the world no not in Luther's days and so the Romanists have a continual and unanswerable Objection to fling in his teeth But the Church of England as it is establish'd hath a fair and full Plea that her whole Religion was long before Popery that it was in the world in the days of the Apostles that it was in the Liturgies of the primitive Churches that it is to be seen still in the Tomes of the Greek and Latin Fathers nay she can justifie her Cause out of those very Writers in communion with the Roman Church both before and since the time of Luther whose Books they like dishonest men have corrected purged and mangled by the Expurgatory Indices lest they should tell tales I do not intend now to vindicate the Doctrine of our Church in this respect for that is not so much to my present purpose and our Faith hath been by others abundantly proved to be exactly consonant to the Sence of Scripture and to the Faith of all Orthodox Christians in the purest and best Ages and by this we are ready to stand or fall let the Papist bark at us till his Tongue and his Heart aketh But my purpose is to justifie the Government and Discipline of our Church to be the same which was used in Christian Churches from the beginning and that against a sort of men among our selves who accuse us of Superstition as the Papists do accuse us of Schism though God be blessed we are guilty of neither We tell our Dissenting Brethren that our way which they have forsaken is indeed the old Path we affirm our Government to have been Primitive and Apostolical and we say too that our Discipline Rites and way of Worship is the same generally which was establish'd in the first and best times and this I shall endeavour now to prove in some measure by instancing in particulars that men who desire satisfaction herein may see that the Frame of our Religion is de facto very ancient and that on that account besides many others it ought to be upheld and maintain'd which is the thing I have already argued for and withall that our Charge of Innovation would be unjust and ridiculous did we but unanimously resolve to tread in this Path our Brethren then would be free from guilt as well as our selves 1. The first thing to be spoken to is our Form of Government I mean our Episcopacy the thing that is such an Eye-sore to Papists Atheists and Schismaticks It is clear that for 1500 years it was the onely kind of Government in the Church And whatever some Learned men have pretended I believe you can scarcely instance in any ancient Churches perfectly and completely formed that were not under the care and government of Bishops in our present Sence of the word Bishops presiding over them either in person or by their Authority Those great Luminaries of the Church to whom the World hath been and is so much beholding the Austins Cyprians Chrysostoms Basils Cyrils Gregories and Ambroses were famous and renowned Prelates some of them Metropolitanes some Patriarchs all of them Bishops Those Fathers of the third Century after the Apostles as Theodoret Jerom and others who thought the Names of Bishop and Presbyter to be indifferently and promiscuously used in the Scripture did not mean to impair the just honour and dignity of Bishops for they acknowledged that though the Names were in common yet the Office Power and

THE Good Old Way OR A DISCOURSE Offer'd to all True-hearted PROTESTANTS Concerning the ANCIENT WAY OF THE CHURCH And the CONFORMITY of the Church of England THEREUNTO As to its Government Manner of VVorship Rites and Customes By Edward Pelling Rector of S. Martin Ludgate and Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of Somerset Jer. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the Old paths where the Good Way is and walk therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Con. Nic. London Printed for Jonathan Edwin at the Sign of the three Roses in Ludgate-street 1680. TO THE Right Reverend Father in God HENRY Lord Bishop of London one of the Lords of His Majesties most honourable Privy Council My Lord I Am oblig'd to offer to your Lordship these following Papers which will the rather need a good Patron such as your Lordship because the Times are Censorious and many mis-guided people are ready to clamour against a man that shall adventure though out of pure Charity to direct them contrary to their own minds Maximus Tyrius observed long ago that Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a morose querulous and Squeamish stomach't thing that he will cry out at whatsoever crosseth his Humour whether it be wrong or Right I do not doubt but it may be my Lot to receive such Returnes from some and as to mine own particular I do not care if it be especially since Clamouring is again become a Mode I am sure the Design of this little piece is Honest for it aimeth at Peace and unity which in these uncertain and tottering times is the only Expedient to secure the interest of our Religion against a Forreign Enemy Many even of different perswasions in other things are agreed in this But the great question is what are the beast Means for the compassing of so Excellent an End And some to use their own Expression are for setting the Church doors wider open meaning that they would have some of our Usages and Constitutions thrown aside because they are not fit for their Tooth unless it be to bite at But were this thing fairly Practicable I beleive 't would be as ineffectual in its issue as 't is unreasonable in it self For how impossible is it to satisfie Desires that are still craving we could never yet tell nor can they themselves what will really stint them only some have told us in general Terms that they would have every thing down which is not of Primitive use of which they themselves must be judges too So that if they will please to conclude against the whole frame of our Discipline and Government away it must or else they will not be satisfied Concessions hitherto have been so far from being Advantageous to the Church that like General Indulgences they have only made ungrateful Spirits the more Bold and Insolent so that they hope at last to get into the Saddle Those five Reverend Divines who were fain to lay their Noddles together to give birth to Smectymnuus among other Huge Reasons for the Abolishing of our Liturgy urged this for one because forsooth it had already undergone some Alterations As for instance whereas in King Edward the Sixth's time days of Abstinence were called Fish-days afterwards that word was altered and Fasting days was put in its room From which Mighty Argument those great Logicians and Magisterial Divines did strongly conclude that the whole Service-book might be laid aside Find the Consequence He that can but sad and long Experience hath shew'd us what advantage designing and insatiable Men will take of every little thing to make it a Precedent and to plead for more still that after the removal of this pin and that and so on the whole Fabrick may at last tumble upon our heads Would to God this design was not on foot now But however some endeavour to stop our Mouths yet we have Eyes as well as They and there is too great Reason to conclude that many that is to say some Atheists some Jesuited persons and some whose low Fortunes and Interest together with their Malice engage them to be Factious do directly level their aim at the Ruine of our Establish't Church We are so charitable as to hope that many of our Dissenters are better conditioned But as in the late Troubles the Rebellion went further than the first Raisers of it did intend for they hoped to force the King to buckle to their Terms when others behind them did resolve to force Him and Monarchy to the Grave so we have grounds to believe that now while one party desires an accommodation in some matters others make use of their Help and Assistance with an intent to overthrow all This unadvised concurrence of our over zealous Brethren in this Juncture though it be of most evil consequence yet is the more to be pittied because they imprudently strive against their own securities For it is evident to any indifferent Eye that the great Rampier against the Church of Rome is the Church of England whose Doctrines are a certain Antidote against poysonous Principles from abroad and whose Government and Discipline do tend of themselves to Order and Unity at home Yet certainly it is want of Judgement and clear insight into the Nature of our Establishments which hath made some so passionately to oppose them because they will not give themselves the leasure to read and consider those Books which all along have been written in defence of them by learned and good Men who saw of what vast use they were to the interest of the Protestant Cause And though I may not expect that my little pains will be taken notice of much less prove successful when the labours of so many great men have been lost yet I had some reasons to induce me to discourse purposely of the Antiquity of our usages the rather because a wrong and groundless notion runs about that all our Constitutions were Originally borrowed of the Romanists so that whosoever now is a strict Conformist is looked upon by the heady rabble to be Popishly affected and stands fair to be knockt down when opportunity shall serve which is the main thing wanting Not to dissemble with your Lordship I did not long ago discourse upon this Theme in the Pulpit And finding the subject so acceptable and in a manner a new thing even to intelligent and sober persons I had some strong invitations to publish those short Collections which I had then made But knowing the Niceness of the subject and the Capricious humour of some men who lie upon the Catch I found it necessary to take all into pieces and to throw aside some things and to add many more and more largely so that my task was like the mending and altering of an old House which is many times so troublesome and chargeable that a new one may be built at a cheaper rate And now my Lord I hope the world will not condemn me for entitling this

Friday betrayed and on the Friday murther'd sequestred these dayes weekly to their solemn Devotion spending the time in reading of the Scriptures with Prayers Tears Almsdeeds and Fastings from the beginning of the day till three in the afternoon We find continual mention made of these dayes by the Greeks under the Names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fourth day the preparation the day before the Sabbath or Saturday The Latine Fathers call them generally the Quarta sexta Feria and Tertullian Tertul. de jejunio sometimes stationum Semi-jejunia the stationary half-fasts because their abstinence at this time was not so long as in Lent and on other occasional days of humiliation when they fasted until night And Epiphanius tells us that these dayes were constantly observed all the world over and that the Original of this custome Epiphan lib. 3. adv Haer. Haeres 77. adv Aerium was owing to Apostolick Tradition It is most likely that it was so if any Credit in the World may be given to Antiquity But instead of disputing and quarrelling about that it would be for the Interest of Religion and for the great good of the World if men would buckle in good earnest to that Piety which is humble grave and serious and not give occasion to the old fashioned Christians to tell them that the cross-grain Spirit of Aerius hath undone all and to upbraid them that their Belly is their God and a Kitchin their Church 5. As times of Fasting so days of Festivity and joy were very Anciently kept by the Church for they celebrated not only the weekly day of Christs Resurrection but also the Anniversary day of Easter and the day of the Nativity and of the descent of the holy Festivals V. Euseb Eccl. His l. 5. c. 24. Ghost and indeed all that course of fifty days from Easter to Whitsunday And not those onely but moreover they honoured Cur Pascha celebramus annuo circulo in mense primo cur quinquaginta exinde diebus in omni exultatione decurrimus Tert. adv Psych Martyrum Passiones Dies anniversariâ commemoratione celebramus Cyprian ep 34. v. Pamelii Annotat. Memorias Sanctorum facimus Origne in Joh. lib. 3. Harum sc Innocentium memoria semper ut dignum est in Ecclesiis celebratur secundum integrum ordinem Sanctorum ut primorum Martyrum Id. Hom. 3. in diversos tom 2. p. 282. Oblationes pro Natalitiis annua dii facimus Tertull. de Cor. Mil. those days whereon the holy Martyrs did suffer commemorating their Lives and Sufferings and offering up Thanksgivings to God for their Faith Constancy and good Examples and calling the days of their Martyrdom their Birth-days when they entred into Life Eternal The Church of England in observing this custom doth but follow the steps of the Catholick Church of old And in mine opinion men do greatly wound the Protestant Cause when they call this and other ancient Customs by the names of Popery and Superstition For they do the Church of Rome too much honour in calling things which are ancient and Catholick Popery We know that Popery is of a late and a base Extraction and this hath abundantly been proved by Church of England-men And how do the Dissenters contradict us and justifie the Romanists when they say that this and that Observation whatever is laudable ancient and of Catholick usage is Popery Herein they befriend the Pope and give Arguments and Encouragements to the Papists more than perhaps they are aware of 6. We are required in the time of Sacred Ministrations to be clothed with a white Vesture This forsooth giveth much Surplice offence and is a great eye-sore to some now And yet for many hundreds of years before it was not offensive when men had very good eyes and Consciences too that were very tender but not galled The old Fathers startled at the very name of Perjury Rebellion and Dishonesty but they were not frighted at the sight of a Surplice but lookt upon it as a decent Habit and fit to be used in Ministerial Offices because it did resemble those Robes wherein the Angels those Ministring Spirits were wont to appear This is clear that the custom of wearing a white Garment in time of Divine-Service and S. Hieron Com. in Ezek. 44. lib. 1. adv Pelag. S. Chrys Hom. 60. ad pop Antioch Clem. Const lib. 8. especially at the Administration of the Sacrament is as old as St. Hierom in the Latin Churches and as St. Chrysostom in the Greek and that is 1300 years ago and in the most flourishing times of the Church It may be much older for ought we know to the contrary however I am sure that there is more to be said for its Antiquity than can with reason be pleaded against its Vse 7. Our standing up at the reading of the Holy Gospel is an act Standing at the Gospel Expressive of our great Reverence unto it and Significative of our Readiness to observe and obey it And questionless this Custom was originally derived from the Jews as many other Christian Customs were for at the reading of the Law this posture was used by the Congregation Ezra opened the Book in the sight of all the people for he was above all the people and when he opened it all the people stood up Nehem. 8. 5. Now seeing it was more reasonable for Christians to do Honour unto Christ than for the Jews to do it unto Moses it came to be an universal Custom even from the beginning to stand Durant de Rit lib. 2. c. 23. Constit Apost lib. 2. c. 57. up at the hearing of our Saviours Doctrine and Life and to bless God for it So the Apostolical Constitutions require When the Gospel is read let the Presbyters and Deacons and all the people stand with all quietness for it is written Hear O Israel and keep silence And accordingly St. Chrysostome witnesseth S. Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that when the Deacon opened the Book of the Gospel and began to read they all stood up and cryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory be to thee O Lord. 8. It is order'd by our Church that for persons to be Baptiz'd there shall be Sureties whose Office it is to call upon Sureties them to hear Sermons to see them Catechiz'd and vertuously brought up And surely by the Laws of our Religion every man is to be his brothers Keeper And what these Sureties do binde themselves to by a Particular and Personal Obligation every Neighbour is bound to by the General Rule of Love In my opinion among all the Constitutions of our Church this is one of the most Charitable and most Profitable Constitutions and that which thousands have been beholding to for their Christian Education And were it only for the Motherly Care and Tenderness of our Church in this particular she might well claim a dutiful Observance at the hands of all her Children but that St. Paul