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Sophronius Bishop of Ierusalem (Prat. spir. c. 195. referente Baronio ad an. 411.) delivereth this History following to posterity, as a most certain thing:
THAT Leontius Apamiensis a most faithful Reli∣gious man that had lived many years at Cyrene as∣sured them, that Synesius (who of a Philosopher became a Bishop) found at Cyrene one Evagrius a Philo∣sopher, who had been his old acquaintance, fellow-student and intimate friend, but an obstinate Heathen: and Synesius was earnest with him to become a Christian, but all in vain: Yet did he still follow him with those Arguments that might satisfie him of the Christian verity; and at last the Philoso∣pher told him, that to him it seemed but a meer fable and de∣ceit that the Christian Religion teacheth men, that this world shall have an end, and that all men shall rise again in these bodies, and their flesh be made immortal and incorru∣ptible, and that they shall so live for ever, and receive the Reward of all that they have done in the body, and that he that hath pitty on the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and he that gives to the poor and needy shall have Treasures in heaven, and shall receive an hundred-fold from Christ, together with eternal life. These things he derided. Synesius by many arguments assured him that all these things were certainly true: and at last the Philosopher and his children were Ba∣ptized. A while after he comes to Synesius, and brings him