Sermons upon the Book of Job

If this be meant of the Prophets and teachers whom God hath chosen and ordained, and unto whom he hath given most excellent gifts, (as we see here an example in Eliphas:) what shall be said of us? for he is set before us, not as one of the simple and common sort of people: but as one to whom God himself hath appeared: and yet he telleth us he heard but a little. Behold then what we have to mark in this first place. Truly were we throughly persuaded of this, there should no such overweening be seen in our talk. For every of us bears himself in hand, that he is ignorant in nothing: and they that are least exercised in the holy Scriptures, will needs have this reputation of themselves, that they be so subtle and sharp-witted, as they speak nothing but good reason, as though the holy Ghost were in their sleeve. And whence cometh such pride, but that they which are not yet out of their apcee, imagine themselves to understand all things? And furthermore this pride is accompanied with carelessness: for the most part pass not to perfect themselves. And why so? They ween they be come to the perfection of all knowledge: and many men when they have heard a two or three words of the Gospel, ye shall see them so full of it, as they can be. They pass not for ⟨p. 79⟩learning of any more knowledge: no, they will needs teach other men: to be short, they be more than Doctors. But God laugheth such presumption to scorn. For the little that they might have received must be taken from them, and so shall they go away empty, according to that which is written in the song of the virgin Mary which is that such as are full of wind, esteeming themselves rich, and standing upon their reputation: have bin starved for hunger. Then let us learn to praise God in such wise for that which he hath given us, and so to know that we have §10need to proceed daily more and more, as we may have an earnest desire to profit more and more, and come to it with all modesty. And the more familiarly that we be taught concerning God and his word, so much the more must we be as little scholars, that we step not to it with such pride as to think that all is in our own brain, but that we come to it according to our ability, as I have said.

If this be meant of the Prophetes and teachers whom God hath chozen and ordeyned, and vnto whome he hath gyuen most excellent gyftes, (as wee see here an example in Eliphas:) what shall be sayd of vs? for he is set before vs, not as one of the simple and cōmon sort of people: but as one to whome God himselfe hath appeared: and yet he telleth vs he heard but a little. Behold then what we haue to marke in this firste place. Truely were we throughly persuaded of this, there should no suche ouerweening be seene in our talke. For euery of vs beares himselfe in hande, that he is ignorant in nothing: and they that are least exercysed in the holy Scriptures, will needes haue this reputation of themselues, that they bee so suttle and sharpwitted, as they speake nothing but good reason, as though the holie Ghost were in their sleeue. And whence commeth such pryde, but that they which are not yet out of their apcee, imagine themselues to vnderstand all thinges? And furthermore this pryde is accompanied with carelesnesse: for the moste part passe not to perfit themselues. And why so? They weene they bee come to the perfection of all knowledge: and many men when they haue heard a two or three words of the Gospell, ye shall see them so full of it, as they can bee. They passe not for