The Reformed Librarie-Keeper (1650) | Page 8

as are most fit to Advance the Ends of a Collegial Association; so out of Colleges a chois ought to bee made of Professors for the Universitie onely, of such as are fitted to advance the Ends of Publick teaching in Universities, which are not to Repeat and Compendiate that which others have published twentie times already, over and over again, but to add unto the Common stock of humane knowledg, that which others have not observed, to the end that all these degrees of Studies and Exercises of the minde of man, beeing subordinate unto the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the happiness of Man by all Rational and Spiritual waies of improving humane Abilities, may bee advanced unto it's perfection in this life so far as may bee.
But how far short wee com now of all these designs, I need not to relate unto you: the Colleges as they are now Conformed, can scarce reach to the half of that which the Schools might bring us unto: and the Professors of the Universities com not up to that, which the Collegial Associations might elaborate, if they were rightly directed to set their Talents at work; and if the publick Spirit of Christian love and ingenuitie did possess those, that are possessed of publick places in the Colleges of the Universities. For if this Spirit did rule their Aims and Endevors, there would bee no self-seeking, no partialitie, no envie, nor anie cross actings for private ends, to the prejudice of the Publick; but the generous love of virtue and of profitable Learning, would swaie all their inclinations to a free conjunction; and make all their endeavors subordinate unto the publick good of the Common-wealth of Israel in the Communion of Saints. But how far this Principle of acting is now wanting amongst us all, I shall not need to mention: you have considered it long ago, and wee have together lamented that defect, and the doleful effects thereof: our endevor must bee to seek out the best means of a Reformation therein, and to make use of them as God shall give us opportunities. And truly somthing of this kinde might bee don, without anie great alteration or stir, even as matters now are formed in the Colleges; if God would bee so gracious to us, as to beget in the mindes of those that understand those things, a heartie Aim and Resolution to benefit the Christian Common-wealth of Learning, by their Collegial Relations and Associations one to another. For if men that are ingenuous will call to minde the end first, for which God doth give them all their Talents, and then also for which men of publick Spirits have erected Colleges and Universities, and endowed the same with long and competent maintenances; that such as are fit for Studies, and called to bee Instrumental in the propagation of Truth and Virtue, might not bee distracted with the care of the World, in reference to outward matters, but might have all the conveniences which are imaginable to improve those Talents to the utmost, either singly, or conveniently with others, if (I saie) ingenuous Christians would minde these ends, for which the benefit of their Talents from God and of their accommodations from men to improve those Talents are bestowed upon them: it would not bee possible for them; to be so unthankful towards God, and avers from the rule of Christianitie, and from the love of doing good to the generation wherein they live; that they should intend to lead a Collegial life onely for their own private eas and conveniencie in outward things; that beeing accommodated with all necessarie helps of the Bodie, they may pleas themselvs onely in the cours of their Studies, with that Reservation and Retiredness, which is proper to a Monkish life in Popish Cloisters; wherein the Spirit of Mutual envie, of detraction and division is more irreconcilably entertained, then in anie other Societies of the World. For their Cloister-constitutions, obliging them onely to the observation of som formal works as an _opus operatum_; for which their maintenance is allowed them; they not knowing anie further design of their life, or any greater happiness in this World, then to pleas themselvs; bestow all the rest of their time and thoughts, as their natural inclinations lead them, which is commonly to nothing els but to self-love and Pride, which became a Provocation unto others, to discover mutually their corruptions, which by reaction make them all full of envie, of hatred, of evil surmises, and of malicious practices one against another: so that no where Satan doth dwel and rule more effectually, then in those Religious Houses, as they are falsly so called. How much of this Monkish disposition doth remain as yet in the