The main principles of Christian religion in a 107 short articles or aphorisms, generally…

(3) sith 'tis a down-right defacing of the image of God in man, and instead thereof drawing the black lines or image of Satan upon mans soul; (4) and is consequently the greatest enemy to mans happiness and perfection; (5) It doth procure for the impenitent unpardoned sinner, the eternal wrath of God and flames of hell. Q. But it may be here demanded, why our sins are called debts? For an Answer we are to know in the general, that they are not so properly, but metaphorically, with allusion to those debts that are contracted between man and man; for God is not to be considered properly as a Creditor, but as a Governor; so that in strict sense our obedience (rather than our sin) is our debt to God, and such a debt as we owe to him by the Law of our Creation; so that our sins are called our debts only because sin doth make punishment to become a debt which we owe unto God, and 'tis our just debt, and of the two it is punishment which man doth suffer for sin that comes nearer to the nature and notion of a debt than sin it self, this being a due debt to Gods Justice, as obedience is to his ⟨p. 187⟩Authority, however we cannot pray that this debt of punishment be remitted, except we beg that guilt (which is an obligation to punishment) be first removed. (3ly) We have the illustration of the matter of this Petition, by an apt similitude or resemblance, sc. as we forgive our debtors), which words with reference to God, are not to be considered either as a rule that God should proceed in the same manner, to forgive us as we do others, or as a standard that God should measure out so many pardons to us as we give to those who do offend us, but (1) as an argument, (2) as an evidence. The argument proceeds from the Jess to the greater; that if we who have (but as it were) a drop of mercy, can forgive others, how much more will God (who is an Ocean of free-grace and love it self) forgive us; not that our forgiving others is meritorious of Gods forgiving us. (2) Our forgiving others, when 'tis done freely and heartily and universally, 'tis a fruit of the love and mercy of God shed abroad in our hearts, an evidence of true grace in the soul, or of sanctification, and those whom he has sanctified he has also justified.

(3) sith 'tis a down-right defacing of the image of God in man, and instead thereof drawing the black lines or image of Satan upon mans soul; (4) and is consequently the greatest enemy to mans happiness and perfection; (5) It doth procure for the impenitent unpardoned sinner, the eternal wrath of God and flames of hell. Q. But it may be here demanded, why our sins are called debts? For an Answer we are to know in the general, that they are not so properly, but metaphorically, with allusion to those debts that are contracted between man and man; for God is not to be consider'd properly as a Creditor, but as a Governour; so that in strict sense our obedience (rather than our sin) is our debt to God, and such a debt as we owe to him by the Law of our Creation; so that our sins are called our debts only because sin doth make punishment to become a debt which we owe unto God, and 'tis our just debt, and of the two it is punishment which man doth suffer for sin that comes nearer to the nature and notion of a debt than sin it self, this being a due debt to Gods Justice, as obedience is to his