The Devotion of Collecting : Dutch Ministers and the Culture of Print in the Seventeenth Century

The history of the Netherlands in the seventeenth century cannot be adequately told without considering ministers' understanding of print, how they used print to encourage godliness and the nature of their personal libraries. This study is built upon an examination of 235 auction catalogues, nearly all that are known to survive, and the transcription of 55 of these catalogues. Libraries were possessions of central importance to the ministers who owned them. Knowing the kinds of print with which ministers interacted adds vital information into the daily life of a minister and the culture of the era. So, what books did these central theological figures own and how did they use them?