The Reformed Librarie-Keeper (1650) | Page 9

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 formal Constitutions of
Colleges, or in the Spirits of those that partake of Collegial
accommodations, is not a thing which I shall take upon me to Judg; but
I shall leav it to God, and to his daie to discover; onely I would bee
glad that all such as are true Israelites, and know the end of their calling
unto Christ, and are not willing to burie their Talents, or to make them
useless unto others, for whose fakes they have received them would
laie this matter to heart, that their Aim in a Collegial life, should not
bee to enjoie an easie careless waie of subsistence by and for themselvs,
to follow private fancies in their Studies about matters of Learning; but
that they should minde the stewardship of their gifts and places, and the

advantages of their Association, whereby they might bee, (if they
would make use of it) able to elaborate som tasks, which otherwise
cannot bee brought to anie perfection, for the building up of the Citie of
God in our generations. There is no want of parts and abilities in the
Spirits of our men, but the waie to order them for publick life, and to
bring them together as stones fitly compacted to make up a perfect
Palace, is that which make's us all useless one to another; wee finde
that now and then, as it were by chance, som exquisite pieces of
Learning, which som have been hatching all their life time drop out;
wherein appear's, besides the usefulness of the Subject, or the
uselesness thereof, som inclination to bee found extraordinarie; but
these endevors, disjointed from publick Aims, advance little or nothing,
the Happiness, which true Learning rightly ordered in all the parts
thereof; and Subordinate unto Christianitie, is able to bring unto
Mankind. Such pieces therefore serv onely as a witness, to shew what
wast there is of profitable time and abilities, for want of loving
combinations for publick Designs. It is the observation of Forreigners
concerning our Universities, that they finde in them men of as great
learning as any where els; but that they lie as it were dead and unknown
to the whole world of other men of Learning; becaus they delight to
live a retired and unsociable life: this humor therefore amongst other
parts of our Reformation, must by som Gospel-principles and Rational
inducements bee Reformed, not onely in Colleges but in other
Associations. The Lord teach us the waie of Truth and Righteousness,
that wee may profit in all things to advance the glorie of his name in
the Kingdom of his Son, in whom I rest
Your friend and servant.
J.D.

THE REFORMED LIBRARIE-KEEPER.
BY
JOHN DURIE.
LONDON,
Printed by _William Du-gard_,

_Anno Dom._ 1650.
THE _Reformed Librarie-Keeper_:
OR
Two copies of Letters concerning the Place and Office of a
Librarie-Keeper.
_The first Letter._
The Librarie-Keeper's place and Office, in most Countries (as most
other places and Offices both in Churches and Universities) are lookt
upon, as Places of profit and gain, and so accordingly sought after and
valued in that regard; and not in regard of the service, which is to bee
don by them unto the Common-wealth of Israel, for the advancement of
Pietie and Learning; for the most part, men look after the maintenance,
and livelihood setled upon their Places, more then upon the end and
usefulness of their emploiments; they seek themselvs and not the
Publick therein, and so they subordinate all the advantages of their
places, to purchase mainly two things thereby _viz._ an easie
subsistence; and som credit in comparison of others; nor is the last
much regarded, if the first may bee had; except it bee in cases of strife
and debate, wherein men are over-heated: for then indeed som will
stand upon the point of Honor, to the hazard of their temporal profits:
but to speak in particular of Librarie-Keepers, in most Universities that
I know; nay indeed in all, their places are but Mercenarie, and their
emploiment of little or no use further, then to look to the Books
committed to their custodie, that they may not bee lost; or embezeled
by those that use them: and this is all.
I have been informed, that in Oxford (where the most famous Librarie
now exstant amongst Protestant-Christians is kept,) the setled
maintenance