More reasons for the Christian religion and no reason against it, or, A second appendix to the Reasons of the Christian religion being I. an answer to a letter from an unknown person charging the Holy Scriptures with contradictions, II. some animadversions on a tractate De Veritate, written by ... Edward Herbert, Baron of Cherbury ... / by Richard Baxter.

Caes. Baronius Annal. ad An. 411.

BUt because we are discoursing of such matters, Reader I intreat thee to suffer me, like the good house∣holder in the Gospel, who bringeth out of his Treasurie things new and old, to adde some things new (or la∣ter) to these of elder date: For what I shall briefly say will much delight thee. For I will not report unproved things, but what I know to be con∣firmed by the assertion of very many learned men, Yea, and by all Religi∣ous men out told the people in their Sermons: And for my part I will bring forth the Author of whom I received it, and that is, Michael Mercatus Mi∣niatensis PPronotory of the S. R.

Church, a man of most entire fidelity and of eminent knowledge and honesty of life: He told me of his Grandfather of the same name with himself, Micha∣el Mercatus senior, between whom and Marsilius Ficinus a man of a most no∣ble wit, there was an intimate friend∣ship, contracted and increased by Phi∣losophical studies, in which they both were followers of Plato. It happened on a time that as they used, they were gathering from Plato (but not without doubting) how much or what of man remained after death; which Platonick documents where they failed, were to be under-propt by the Sacraments of the Christian Faith: (for of that argu∣ment, there is extant a learned Epistle of Marsilius to this Michael Mercatus, of the Immortality of the Soul & God.) And in their discourse when they had long disputed, they thus concluded it; and giving each other their right hands, they Covenanted, that which ever of them first died, if he could do it, he should certifie the other of the state of the other life. And having thus covenanted and sworn to each other, they departed: And after a considera∣ble

space of time, it fell out, that Mi∣chael senior, being early in the morning at his Philosophical studies, unexpect∣edly he heard the noise of a horse swiftly running, and stopping at his door, and withall the voice of Marsi∣lius crying out [O Michael, O Micha∣el, those things are true.] Michael mar∣velling at the voice of his friend, rose up and opening the window, he saw him whom he heard, with his back toward him, in white, riding away on a white horse, and called after him, Marsilius, Marsilius, and looked af∣ter him, but he vanished from his sight. He being struck with admiration at the strangeness of the case, took care to enquire what was become of Marsili∣us, (he lived in Florence where he died) and found that he died that same hour in which he heard and saw him: And what did he hereupon? Though he had been a man of approved honesty, and had lived a life harmless and pro∣fitable to all (as it became a true Phi∣losopher) yet from that time, bidding farewell to Philosophical Disciplines, and becoming a forward Lover (or fol∣lower) of the true Christian Philosophy

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onely, as more eminent than the rest, he lived the rest of his time as dead to the world, onely for (or to) the life to come; being an example of a most ab∣solute Christian, who before had been famous among the Philosophers of his time in praise, as second unto none. So far Baronius; The same is reported by abundance of other writers.

FINIS.