Five disputations of church-government and worship

Now for the Minor, that a stinted Liturgy is not forbidden, we need no other proof then that no Prohibition can be produced. If it be prohibited, it is either by some special Prohibition, or by the General prohibition of not adding: But it is by neither of these, therefore not at all. Special prohibition I never yet saw any produced. God hath nowhere forbidden a form of Prayer. And the General prohibition of not adding, extends not to it. For 1. It is the Worship of God which is the matter that we are there forbidden to add: But the Praying with a form, or without a form, as such, are neither of them any part of the worship of God; nor so intended (as we now suppose) by them that use it: It is but an indifferent Mode or Circumstance of Worship, and not any part of Worship. 2. If Prayer with a form be an Addition to Gods Worship, then so is praying without a form (for God only Commands Prayer, but neither commands a form, nor that we forbear a form) But the Consequent is false, as the Opponents will confess; therefore so is the Antecedent. 3. Undetermined mutable Modes and Circumstances are none of the prohibited Additions, but left to humane determination. But such is the form in question. God hath bid us Preach, but not told us whether we shall study a form of express words always before hand, but left that to prudence: more instances will be added under the next Argument; and therefore I shall now forbear them.

Now for the Minor, that a stinted Liturgy is not forbidden, we need no other proof then that no Prohibition can be produced. If it be prohibited, it is either by some special Prohibition, or by the General prohibition of not adding: But it is by neither of these, therefore not at all. Speciall prohibition I never yet saw any produced. God hath nowhere fo•bidden a form of Prayer. And the General prohibition of not adding, extends not to it. For 1. It is the Worship of God which is the matter that we are there forbidden to add: But the Praying with a form, or without a form, as such, are neither of them any part of the worship of God; nor so intended (as we now suppose) by them that use it: It is but an indifferent Mode or Circumstance of Worship, and not any part of Worship. 2. If Prayer with a form be an Addition to Gods Worship, then so is praying without a form (for God only Commands Prayer, but neither commands a form, nor that we forbear a form) But the Consequent is false, as the Opponents will confess; therefore so is the Antecedent. 3. Undetermined mutable Modes and Circumstances are none of the prohibited Additions, but left to humane determination. But such is the form in question. God hath bid us Preach, but not told us whether we shall study a form of express words alwayes before hand, but left that to prudence: more instances will be added under the next Argument; and therefore I shall now forbear them.