A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

These shall so blot Satan's accusation and bill of complaint against us; that the Court of heaven will not read it. There was an hand-writing against us, but it was engraven in brass; no Aqua-fortis of our tears could eat out that: only Christs blood did expunge it, Col. 2.14. The Devil still puts up new declarations and quarrels against us, but they are written (as it were) in paper; if we weep on them, we shall easily blot them out. Antipater wrote to Alexander a long Epistle, containing accusations of his mother Olympias; to whom Alexander shortly replied; Alas, doth not Antipater know, that Una matris lacryma multas delebit literas? That one tear of a mother will wash out many letters of an accuser? So one tear of the child of God, shall obliterate all the indictments of the Devil. Thus penitently, Peccata dolere, est peccata delere: for God esteems sin in deed repented, as if it had never been indeed committed. Weep therefore here, that thou mayest not weep hereafter. One remorseful tear shed on earth, is better than whole buckets in hell. Weep here, and weep never; weep there, and weep for ever.^k They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy.

These shall so blot Satans accusation and bill of complaint against us; that the Court of heaven will not reade it. There was an hand-writing against us, but it was ingraven in brasse; no Aqua-fortis of our teares could eat out that: onely Christs bloud did expunge it, Col. 2.14. The Devill still puts up new declarations and quarrels against us, but they are written (as it were) in paper; if we weepe on them, we shall easily blot them out. Antipater wrote to Alexander a long Epistle, containing accusations of his mother Olympias; to whom Alexander shortly replied; Alas, doth not Antipater know, that Vna matris lacryma multas delebit literas? That one teare of a mother will wash out many letters of an accuser? So one teare of the childe of God, shall obliterate all the indictments of the Devill. Thus penitently, Peccata dolere, est peccata delere: for God esteemes sinne in deed repented, as if it had never beene indeed committed. Weepe therefore here, that thou mayest not weepe hereafter. One remorsefull teare shed on earth, is better than whole buckets in hell. Weepe here, and weepe never; weepe there, and weepe for ever.