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1. AMongst these mad com∣panions in that tender age of mine, learnd I the Bookes of Eloquence, wherein my am∣bition was to be eminent, all out of a damnable and vaine-glori∣ous end, puse up with a delight of humane glory. By the ordi∣nary course of study I fell upon a certaine booke of one Cicer••, whose tongue almost every man
admires, though not his heart. This booke of his contaynes an exhortation to Philosophie, and 'tis called Hort ensius. This very Book quite altered my affection, turned my prayers to thy selfe, O Lord, and made me have cleane other purposes and desires. All my vayne hopes I thenceforth slighted; and with an incredible heat of spirit I thirsted after the immortality of wisdome, and began now to rowse up my selfe, that I might turne again to thee▪ ward. For I made not use of that booke to file my tongue with, (which I seemed to buy with that ••••••••bition my another allowed me, in that mine tenth yeere of my age, my father being dead two yeeres before) I made not use therefore of that book (I say) to sharpen my tongue withall, nor had it perswaded me to af∣fect the find language in it, but the matter of in.
2. How did I burne then, my
God, how was I inflamed to fly from earthly delights towards thee, and yet I knew not what thou meanedst to doe with me? For with thee is wisdome. That love of wisedome is in Greeke called Philosophie, with which that booke inflam'd mee. Some there bee that seduce others through Philosophie, under a great, a faire promising, and an honest name, colouring over and palliating their owne errors: and almost all those who in the same and former ages had beene of that stamp, are in that booke censured and set forth: there al∣so is that most wholesome advice of thy Spirit, given by thy good and devout servant, made plaine; Beware left any man spoyle you through Philosophie and vaine deceipt after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily.
3. For my part (thou light of my heart knowest) that the A∣postolicall Scriptures were scarce knowne to me at that time: but this was it that so delighted mee in that exhortation, that it did not ingage mee to this or that sect, but left me free to love, and seeke, and obtaine, and hold, and embrace wisdome it selfe what ever it were. Perchance 'twas that booke I was stirred up, and inkindled and inflamed by: This thing only in such a heat of zeale tooke me off, that the name of Christ was not in it. For this Name, according to thy mercy, O Lord, this Name of my Sa∣viour thy Sonne, had my tender heart even together with my mo∣thers milke devoutly drunken in, and charily treasured up; so that what booke soever was without that Name, though never so lear∣ned, politely and truely penned, did not altogether take my ap∣probation.
Col. 2. 8.
He meanes Ciceroes Hortensi∣us.