A Body of Practical Divinity

2. There are none so dull and ignorant, but Christ can teach them. Every one is not fit to make a Philosophers Scholar of, Ex omni ligno non fit Mercurius; but there is none so dull but Christ can make a good Scholar of such as are ignorant, and of low parts. Christ teacheth them in such a manner, that they know more then the great Sages and Wise men of the World. Hence that saying of St. Augustine, Surgunt indocti & rapiunt coelum, the unlearned Men rise up and take Heaven; they know the Truths of Christ more savingly then the great admired Rabbis. The duller the Scholar, the more is his skill seen that teacheth. Hence it is, Christ delights in teaching the Ignorant, to get himself more Glory, Isa. 35.5. The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Who would go to teach a blind, or a deaf Man? yet such dull Scholars Christ teacheth. Such as are blinded with Ignorance, they shall see the Mysteries of the Gospel, and the deaf Ears shall be unstopped.

2. There are none so dull and ignorant, but Christ can teach them. Every one is not fit to make a Philosophers Scholar of, Ex omni ligno non fit Mercurius; but there is none so dull but Christ can make a good Scholar of such as are ignorant, and of low parts. Christ teacheth them in such a manner, that they know more then the great Sages and Wisemen of the World. Hence that saying of St. Augustine, Surgunt indocti & rapiunt coelum, the unlearned Men rise up and take Heaven; they know the Truths of Christ more savingly then the great admired Rabbies. The duller the Scholar, the more is his skill seen that teacheth. Hence it is, Christ delights in teaching the Ignorant, to get himself more Glory, Isa. 35.5. The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Who would go to teach a blind, or a deaf Man? yet such dull Scholars Christ teacheth. Such as are blinded with Ignorance, they shall see the Mysteries of the Gospel, and the deaf Ears shall be unstopped.