Sermons upon the Book of Job

yet we must not think that men shall be discharged for clothing themselves in sackcloth, for much weeping, and for using such manner of fashions as may make them seem too have nothing but lowliness and adversity in them: but rather we must bethink our selves of this sentence of Joels, Rend your harts and not your garments: whereby Joel meaneth, that it is too no purpose for men to have great store of Ceremonies, or too martyr themselves much in outward sight of the world, except their hearts be broken before. And what manner of Rending or breaking is it that god requireth in our harts? It is that we should be cast down and humbled before him: that when we perceive any signs of his wrath, (specially when we feel the blows of his hand already,) we should be patient: assuring our selves that all comes for our sins: and that we do not as many do, who when they be beaten with Gods rods, chaw their bridles like mules, and conceive I wot not what a fierceness and bitterness, which serve to set them in a rage against God, notwithstanding that they make countenance as though they were well tamed. But contrariwise (as I have said) it behoveth our harts to be rent, (according to the exhortation that is made unto us in the Psalm) by laying our hart open before God, to the end he should know all that is within it. Then let us follow the said saying of the Prophet Joel, that we should not rend our garments, but our hearts rather: for therein will the true repentance show itself. But it is impossible that our harts should be rightly rent, without showing of the foresaid lowliness by experience, in confessing our sins, too the intent to give glory unto God. And herein a man may see what a mockery is in those that think himselues too have done very much, when they have granted that they have done amiss, that they have committed a great offence against God, and that they have cast a stumbling block into the Church: and yet peradventure if a man grate upon them ⟨p. 51⟩but a little further, and would make them to understand their faults, it would make them to say, O, that were too much: and it would seem unto them that God were oversharp and rigorous against them. But in any wise we must not think that God receiveth us as repentant persons, except we bring him the sacrifice that is spoken of in the one and fiftieth Psalm.

yet wee must not thinke that men shal be discharged for clothing themselues in sackcloth, for much weeping, and for vsing suche maner of fashions as may make them seeme too haue nothing but lowlynesse and aduersitie in them: but rather we must bethinke oure selues of this sentence of Ioels, Rende your harts and not your garmentes: whereby Ioell meeneth, that it is too no purpose for men to haue great store of Ceremonies, or too martyr themselues much in outwarde sight of the worlde, except their hartes be broken before. And what maner of Rending or breaking is it that god requireth in our harts? It is that wee shoulde bee cast downe and humbled before him: that when we perceiue any signes of his wrath, (specially when we feele the blowes of his hande alreadie,) we should be paciēt: assuring our selues that all comes for our sinnes: and that wee do not as many do, who when they be beaten with Gods roddes, chawe theyr brydles lyke mules, and conceyue I wote not what a fiercenesse and bitternesse, which serue to set them in a rage agaynst God, notwithstanding that they make countenaunce as though they were well tamed. But contrarywise (as I haue sayd) it behoueth our harts to be rent, (according to the exhortation that is made vntoo vs in the Psalme) by laying our hart open before God, to the ende he should know all that is within it. Then let vs follow the sayd saying of the Prophet Ioell, that we should not rend our garments, but our hartes rather: for therein will the true repentance shewe itselfe. But it is impossible that our harts should be rightly rent, withoute shewing of the foresayde lowelinesse by experience, in confessing our sinnes, too the intent to giue glory vntoo God. And herein a man may see what a mockerie is in those that thinke himselues too haue done very muche, when they haue graunted that they haue done amisse, that they haue committed a great offence agaynst God, and that they haue cast a stumblingblocke intoo the Church: and yet peraduenture if a man grate vpon them