TAKE it as admitted by men of sense, that the first of our advantages
is education; and not only this our more noble form of it, which
disregards rhetorical ornaments and glory, and holds to salvation, and
beauty in the objects of our contemplation: but even that external
culture which many Christians ill-judgingly abhor, as treacherous and
dangerous, and keeping us afar from God. For as we ought not to
neglect the heavens, and earth, and air, and all such things, because
some have wrongly seized upon them, and honour God's works instead of
God: but to reap what advantage we can from them for our life and
enjoyment, while we avoid their dangers; not raising creation, as
foolish men do, in revolt against the Creator, but from the works of
nature apprehending the Worker, and, as the divine apostle says,
bringing into captivity every thought to Christ.