The Reformed School, Part 16
Concerning the End of Learning.
The true End of all Humane Learning … to ſupply in our ſelves and others the defect… which proceed from our Ignorance of the n…ture and uſe of the Creatures, and the diſo…derlineſs of our naturall faculties in uſi… them and reflecting upon them.
From this Truth follow theſe Rules … Teaching.
1. That nothing is to be counted a Mat… of true Learning amongſt men, which is n… directly ſerviceable unto Mankind towar… …he ſupply of ſome of theſe defects, which de…rive us of ſome part of our naturall Hap…ineſs.
2. That if any doth Teach or Learne any …cience for any other end but this; he doth by the falſe end, which he propoſeth to him…lf in Teaching or Learning) pervert the Truth either of the Science, or of the Method …ereof, or of both: by which meanes, the …emedie of our diſeaſe being ſpoiled; he ma…eth ſo farre as in him lyeth our ſickneſs in…rable.
3. That none ought to be taught any …atter of ſcience, before he doth underſtand …e true end, wherefore he is to learne it, and …ow he ought to uſe it▪ towards that end: for … he be ignorant of theſe two, he will not …nly loſe his labour; but may become hurt…ll to himſelf and others by his knowledge. …or as a thorne goeth up into the hand of a …unkard; ſo is a parable in the mouth of fools. …rov. 26.9. And at the beſt he will be un…rviceable and diſproportionat to others in …s walking therby: For as the legs of the …me are not equall, ſo will a parable be in the …outh of a foole Prov. 16.7. Now, he is a …ole who knoweth not the end and uſe of …e things which he hath.
4. That to marſhall ſciences rightly, that they …ay be taught orderly and profitably; The ſubordination of their ſeverall ends to eac… other (as they jointly relate unto man to ſup…ply his defects) and the way of teaching th… ſame (as it is ſutable to the Capacity of thoſ… that are to be taught) muſt be obſerved: ſo if theſe things be not obſerved; either th… ſciences will be made uſeleſs to each other, o… all of them, to him that is taught. For, ho… can he, that teacheth them, benefit his Scho…lars therby? For the Encyclopedia of Scienc… muſt anſwer the whe…l of humane facultie and this wheel muſt anſwer the Circle of th… Creatures whence man is to ſupply his d…fects. As then in a watch, one wheel right ſet, doth with its teeth take hold of anothe… and ſets that a work towards a third; and all move one by another, when they are … their right places for the end for which … watch is made: ſo is it with the Faculties … the humane nature, being rightly ordered … the ends for which God hath created the… but, contrarywiſe, if the wheels be not right ſet, or the watch duly wound up; it is uſeleſs … him that hath it; and ſo it is with the Facult… of Man; if his wheels be not rightly order and wound up by the ends of Sciences in th… ſubordination; leading him to employ … ſame, according to his Capacity, to make … of the Creatures for that wherunto … hath made them; he becomes not only uſele… …ut even a burthen, and hurtfull unto him…elf and others by the miſuſing of them.