A discourse concerning liturgies, and their imposition

It remaineth then to consider whether the use of the Liturgy as prescribed be made a part of the Worship of God. Now that wherewith and whereby God is commanded to be worshipped, and without which all Observation or Performance of his public Worship is forbidden, is it self made a part of his Worship. The Command with this, or thus, shall you Worship God, makes the Observation of that Command a part of Gods Worship. It is said that it is only a Circumstance of Worship but no part of it. Prayer is the Worship of God; but that this Prayer shall be used and no other, is ⟨p. 42⟩only a Circumstance of it. So that though it may be possibly accounted a Circumstance, or Accidentary part of Gods Worship, yet it is not asserted to be of the substance of it. How far this is so, and how far it is otherwise must be considered. Circumstances are either such as follow actions as actions, or such as are arbitrarily superadded and adjoined by Command unto actions, which do not of their own accord, nor naturally nor necessarily attend them. Now Religious actions in the Worship of God, are actions still. Their Religious Relation doth not destroy their natural being. Those Circumstances then which do attend such actions as actions, not determined by Divine Institution may be ordered, disposed of, and regulated by the prudence of men. For instance, Prayer is a part of Gods Worship. Public Prayer is so, as appointed by him. This as it is an action to be performed by man, cannot be done without the assignment of time, and place, and sundry other things, if Order and Conveniency be attended. These are Circumstances that attend all actions, of that nature, to be performed by a Community, whether they relate to the Worship of God or no. These men may according as they see good regulate, and change, as there is occasion: I mean they may do so, who are acknowledged to have power in such things. As the Action cannot be without them, so their regulation is arbitrary if they come not under some Divine Disposition and Order; as that of time in general doth. There are also some things, which some men call Circumstances also, that no way belong of themselves to the actions whereof they are said to be the Circumstances, nor do attend them, but are imposed on them, or annexed unto them, by the arbitrary Authority of those who take upon them to give Order and Rules in such cases.

It remaineth then to consider whether the use of the Liturgy as prescribed be made a part of the VVorship of God. Now that wherewith and whereby God is commanded to be worshipped, and without which all Observation or Performance of his publick VVorship is forbidden, is it self made a part of his VVorship. The Command with this, or thus, shall you VVorship God, makes the Observation of that Command a part of Gods VVorship. It is said that it is onely a Circumstance of VVorship but no part of it. Prayer is the VVorship of God; but that this Prayer shall be used and no other, is