Christian Liberty abused by the Sectarian party. [ CX]
CAmbyses demanding of his Counsellours,* 1.1 Whether he might not marry his sister by the Law of the Land? They answered, That they found no Law, that allowed a brother to marry his sister; but one, that permitted the King of the Persians to do as he list. Thus our proud, peevish, sectarian Libertines, impatient of Government, a rebellious and obstinate people, cannot in all the Scripture find any sound or seeming proof, for their foul rebellions against lawfull Authority; neither can their fals prophets, their chief counsellours,* 1.2 find out any such places for them; but therefore they use in a wrong sense, so to enlarge and amplifie the great benefit of our Christian li∣berty, (the which indeed is a freedom from all hellish slavish fear, but not from a holy and son-like fear; a freedom from the curse, but not from the obedience; from the damnatory,* 1.3 but not from the preceptory part of the Law) that they have now made simple people, little seen in heavenly matters, believe, that the reyns lie loose upon every Christian's neck, and they left to their own disposalls; that there is a liberty purchased for Christians, a quidlibet audendi, to do what every man liketh, and to live under no obedience to Governours, whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill.