The Burning of London, Part 3 · Meditation 54
MEDITATION LIV. Upon the burning down of Zion-Colledge.
LOndon was an Epitome of England (if not alſo of the whole World.) In it was ſomething of almoſt every thing; and amongſt the reſt, Colledges erected or deſigned for moſt kinds and parts of good Learning: only two of which I ſhall now inſtance in, viz. Greſham and Zion-Colledges. The former, which was to be for Divinity and other Sciences, yet ſtanding; the latter, which was intended only for Divines, and for Theology, now lying in the duſt. Doubtleſs, Learning is a great advantage and ſtay to Religion, as the Apoſtle himſelf intimateth, when he ſpeaks of ſome who being ignorant and unlearned, do wreſt the Scriptures to their own deſtruction; and if men (as much as in them is) would root Religion out of the world, they could uſe no means more effectual than that which Julian applied himſelf to, viz. the extinguiſhing of all good literature. This came to mind, when I remembred that Colledge to be yet ſtanding, where Divinity and other Sciences dwell together, though I am far from aſsigning that as the reaſon, why that Colledge rather than the other did eſcape the Fire.
But, my work is, to treat of thoſe places that did not eſcape, and now particularly of Zion-Colledge. The place where that Colledge ſtood, from the firſt time that I can receive any account of it, was alwayes a ſeat of Charity; firſt in the Oare (as I may call it) and afterwards refined. By Charity in the Ore, I mean, that which was popiſh and ſuperſtitions: For the firſt Foundation that I read of in that place was a Nunnery: After that, it was converted to an Hoſpital, in the year, 1332. for the relief of one hundred blind men, and was called the Priory or Hoſpital of Saint Mary the Virgin, founded by William Elſing, the which VVilliam became the firſt Prior there. In the ſame place where that Priory was ſituated, was ſince erected the Colledge I am ſpeaking of, for the Clergy of London and Liberties thereof, and for the ſuſtentation of twenty poor people, ten men and ten women.
An exemplary and well-contrived piece of Bounty and Charity was the founding of that Colledge, and the Alms-houſes thereunto belonging: Which I muſt needs ſpeak in praiſe of thoſe it's worthy Founders, whoſe Names ſhould alwayes live, though their Works be now demoliſhed.
Of the Charity that built that Colledge, and the Library belonging to it, I can ſay no leſs, than that i… was, a Liberal, a Living, an Extenſive, an Humble, and a Handſome reſpectful Charity, and in all thoſe reſpects greatly Exemplary. That it was Liberal, appeareth by the quality of thoſe two Divines, that were the Founders of it, one of the Colledge its ſelf, viz. Doctor Thomas VVhite, the other of the Library, viz. Maſter John Sim…ſon. All the prefe…ent that I can find either of theſe Gentlemen had in and from the Church, was, that the former was Vicar of Saint Dunſtans in the Weſt, and on… of the Canons reſidentiary of Saint Paul's Church London; and the other, viz. Mr. John Sim…ſ… was onelyonly Re…or of Saint Olaves Hart-ſtreet, London. Some men do a great deal of good with a little (the Church doth little for them, and yet they do much for it); others do but a little good with a great deal: Many, whoſe Titles and Eccleſiaſtical Revenues, have ſwelled ten times higher than either of theirs did, never were half ſo much Benefactors to the Church and world as was the leaſt of them; but have hoorded up their money, as if they meant, when they left the world, to take it with them.
And, as their Charity was liberal, (which I may call intenſive;) ſo was it no leſſe extenſive. Charity like ſeed, ſhould not all be ſown in one ſurrow, but ſcattered, ſome here ſome there; as the Scripture ſpeaking of a good man, ſaith, He hath diſperſed he hath given to the poor, and his righteouſneſs remaineth: I ſay, their Charity was extenſive, becauſe firſt, it did reach and extend to ſoul and body both yea, I might have ſaid in the Apoſtles phraſe, Soul, Body, and Spirit: There was proviſion made for the bodies of ſo many poor; there were helps … Learning, whereby to accommodate the mind… and ſouls of ſuch as were lovers of it; and laſtly, there was Religion, or rather helps to Religion, (by the promoting of Divinity,) for the ſpirits of men; by which I mean the ſublimet faculties of men, which are more eſpecially the … and ſubjects of Religion. There was Charity ſhewed to both Sexes, ſo much to one as to anothers whereas ſome Senſualliſts have no charity, but for that Sex which is not their own, (Pharaoh-like, who took care to ſave the females, though he gave charge to drown the males, as if they had been ſo many Mice:) And, certain Humoriſts on the other hand pretend to ſet their whole love upon their own Sex, profeſſing themſelves to be Miſogyniſts, or haters of Women; which, whether in pretence or in reality, is another ſinful extreme. Again, That Colledge was kind and Charitable, both to the Learned and Unlearned; as Paul ſaith, that he was a Doctor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wiſe and to the fooliſh: Whereas ſome, meer Schollars themſelves, have no love for any but Learned men: and, others again have a kind of Antipathy to Schollars, as ſuch. Laſtly, The extenſiveneſs of the Charity that gave that Colledge appeareth, in that it was a benefit both to Rich and Poor, (for, as to ſome things, thoſe that are Rich may need help, as truly as thoſe that are poor:) Thither might Perſons of Quality, whoſe Libraries and uſual Divellings were in the Country, repair, and be furniſhed with thoſe Books they could not meet with elſewhere.
An extenſive Charity ought much to be imi…ated, becauſe the Scripture ſaith, Do good to all men: And, one great fault of this Age, is, That the Charity of men, (like their reſpects,) is conſined in ſome, only to Pauls in others, to Cephas; in others, to Apollos, (as I may allude:) but, the World will never be right, till men have learnt to love all good People as ſuch.
On Mr. Simpſons part, who founded the Library, it was, as ſome call it, a Living-Charity; for, he built it in his life-time, at his own proper coſt and charges: whereas ſome others have, in effect, ſaid, That their Mony ſhould go to good uſes, when they had nothing elſe to do with it: then,) and not till then;) yea, poſſibly repented of that too, ere they died. I have moreover called it an hurable-Charity, (a Charity that did not vaunt it ſelf;) becauſe the aforeſaid Founder of the Library did not ſcorn to build upon another mans Foundation, or to ſpend himſelf in adding to another mans Work; (who it was to be expected) would bear the name of the Principal Founder. Happy is he that can ſeek the good of others, and not ſeek his own honour at the ſame time; that, ſo others be benefited, doth not much care though himſelf be over—lookt.
Laſtly, I ſaid, It was a handſome, and a reſpectful piece of Charity, and ſo it was: For, How noble a Treatment did the Founder provide quarterly for thoſe Miniſters ſucceſſively, for whoſe ſake chiefly, or for whoſe uſe, he built that Noble Colledge. Foraſmuch as he was pleaſed to give forty Pounds yearly for four Dinners for the Clergy, who were to Dine together in that Colledge, after they had broke their Faſt with a good Latin Sermon.
A ſcornfull Charity is (as our Proverb phraſeth it) but a bit and a knock; ſuch, as all ingenuous perſons, that can ſpare it, had as lief go without: but Charity, confer'd with reſpect, is like a Diamond well-ſet, or a Picture placed in ſuch a light, as ſheweth it to the beſt advantage: It is good milk, well ſweetned; whereas others, like our Proverb of the red-Cow, Give good milk, and kick down part of it again. All theſe things put together, methinks the Founders of that Colledg and Library, were noble Patterns of Charity; and therefore pitty it is, that their Colledge and their Names ſhould lie in aſhes together: that the latter ſhould not remain as famous as ever, though the former be taken away. The reſpect which Schollars owe to the memory of Sion-Colledge, for the kindneſs intended to them in it, as alſo for the good which many have received from it, (where ſome I preſume, got more Learning out of thoſe publick Books, than others did out of thoſe that were properly and peculiarly their own; Some throve upon the Common, better than others did upon their own rich Incloſures; ſome got more Learning for nothing, than others did out of coſtly Libraries of their own purchaſing: would not permit me to ſay leſs of it than I have ſaid; neither will I ſay much more concerning it.
Only one thing I muſt not fail to Obſerve, viz. That the Providence of God was pleaſed to watch over the greateſt part of the Library belonging to that Colledge, and to ſave it from the Fire. At firſt, there was a Colledge without a Library, and afterwards a Library-Houſe for ſome time without Books; Now, (thanks be to God,) there are Books good ſtore, but neither Colledge nor Library to place them in: But, Shall it be alwayes ſo? Are there no more VVhites and Simpſons to build another Sion-Colledge, with a Library to it, in the room of that which is burnt down? Methinks the very name of Sion ſhould invite ſome good man, one, or more, to ſuch a Work as that, having wherewithal to accompliſh it; or, if it were but in part, to contribute towards it: Doth the preſent Age afford no man equal in Eſtate and Charity to the two former Founders of that Colledge? whereof one was but a Parſon, the other but a Vicar. One would think there were a great many Perſons that have double and treble, yea ten-fold that preferment and Revenue, that ever they had: But, if no body will do it, (as far be it from me, to think, the World is grown ſo bad, as bad as it is,) I ſhall be prone to think, that the generation that now is hath abandoned all care of Learning, Religion, and Charity, or of any thing elſe but what men ſhould not care for.