The Apologie, Cap. 19. Diuision. 1.
Wee saie also, that euery person is borne in Sinne, and leadeth his life in Sinne: that no body is able truely to saie, his harte is cleane. That the moste righteous person is but an vnprofitable seruaunte: That the Lawe of God is perfite, and requireth of vs perfite, and ful obedience: That wee are able by no meanes to ful∣fil that Lawe in this worldly life: That there is no one mortal Crea∣ture, whiche can be iustified by his owne desertes in Gods sight: And therefore that our onely succour, and refuge is to flie to the Mercie of Our Father by Iesu Christe, & assuredly to perswade our mindes, that he is the obteiner of forgeuenesse for our sinnes: And that by his Bloude al our spottes of Sinne be vvasshed cleane: That he hath pacified and set at one al thinges by the Bloude of his Crosse: That he by the same One onely Sacrifice, whiche he once offered vpon the Crosse, hathe brought to effecte, and fulfilled al thinges, &, that for y• cause he said, when he gaue vp ye Ghoste, It is finished, as though he woulde signifie, that the price, and ransomme was nowe ful paide for the Sinne of al Mankinde. If there be any, that thinke this Sacrifice not sufficient, let them goe in Goddes name, & seeke a better. Wee verily, bicause wee knowe this to be the Onely Sacrifice, are wel contente with it alone, and looke for none other: and, forasmutche as it was to be offered but Once, we commaunde it not to be renewed againe: and, bicause it was ful & perfite in al pointes, and partes, we doo not ordeine in place thereof any continual succession of offeringes.
M. Hardinge.
Ye make a Sophistical argumente, when ye teache, because the Lawe of God requireth of vs ful obedience, that therefore it cannot be satisfied in this life by any meanes. For when ye saie, it re∣quireth of vs ful obedience, if ye meane‡ 1.1 suche ful obedience, as is required onely in this life, then conclude ye falsely, that wee can by no meanes satisfie it. But if ye meane suche ful obedience, ‡ as is onely perfourmed in Heauen, then ye conclude wel, that wee in this life cannot fulfil suche