in answer to the Malice or Mistake of some who will needs have it that I 'm a declar'd Enemy to all Church-men and consequently say they to all Religion because I make 'em the sole Contrivers of those inconceivable or mysterious Doctrines which I also maintain are as advantageous to themselves as they are prejudicial to the Laity Indeed there are those who easily overlooking all Contempt of the true Religion are very ready to treat'em as pernicious Hereticks or unsufferable Atheists that shew the least Dislike of what are acknowledg'd Additions to Christianity whatever Convenience or Necessity may be pretended for their Establishment If any such understand by Religion the mysterious Part of it then truly it will be no hard matter to prove me as little favourable to this Religion as I 'm far from making any Apologies for my self to the Professors of it As for charging Church-men with being the Authors and Introducers of the Christian Mysteries they must be my Enemies for telling the Truth who are displeas'd at it for there is no matter of Fact more evident from every Page both of the Civil and Ecclesiastick Histories Nor had the Laity ever any hand in that Business otherwise than as confirming by Legal Sanctions what they were first perswaded to by the preaching of their Priests as they do now sometimes at their Sollicitation imprison excommunicated and prosecute erroneous Persons after the Excommunication is first pronounc'd and the Heresy decreed or declar'd by the Clergy Now as all Church-men are not in their Opinions for these Practices so I see no better Reason they have to be angry with any Body for writing against them that are than a good Prince can pretend for punishing the Historian of a Tyrant's Vices only because the Tyrant had been likewise a Prince To all corrupt Clergy-men therefore who make a meer Trade of Religion and build an unjust Authority upon the abus'd Consciences of the Laity I 'm a profest Adversary as I hope every good and wise Man already is or will be But as I shall always remain a hearty Friend to pure and genuine Religion so I shall preserve the highest Veneration for the sincere Teachers thereof than whom there is not a more useful Order of Men and without whom there could not be any happy Society or well constituted Government in this World to speak nothing of their Relation to the World to come nor of the double Esteem which they deserve for keeping Proof against the general Infection of their Profession But I have no Apprehensions from the sincere and if the designing Party discover their Concern by their Displeasure it may well serve for a Mark to distinguish them but will not be thought an Injury by me ERRATA PAg. 20. l. antepen f. any r. an P. 122. l. 9. r. last Chapter P. 156. l. ult r. puris P. 166. l. 22. r. Decrees The CONTENTS  Page THE State of the Question 1 Sect. I. Of Reason 7 Ch. 1. What Reason is not 8 2. Wherein Reason consists 11 3. Of the Means of Information 16 4. Of the Ground of Perswasion 18 Sect. II. That the Doctrines of the Gospel are not contrary to Reason 25 Ch. 1. The Absurdities and Effects of admitting any real or seeming Contradictions in Religion 26 2. Of the Authority of Revelation as it râ—…gards this Controversy 38 3. That by Christianity was intended a Rational and Intelligible Religion prov'd from thâ—… Miracles Method and Stile of the New Testament 46 4. Objections answer'd drawn from the Pravity of Humane Reason 56 Sect. III. That there is nothing Mysterious or above Reason in the Gospel 66 Ch. 1. The History and Signification of Mystery in the Writings of the Gentiles 67 2. That nothing ought to be call'd a Mystery because we have not an adequate Idea of all its Properties nor any at all of its Essence 74 3. The Signification of the word Mystery in the New Testament and the Writings of the most antient Christians 88 4. Objections brought from particular Texts of Scripture and from the Nature of Faitâ—… answer'd 120 5. Objections drawn from the Consideration of MIRACLES answer'd 144 6. When why and by whom were Mysteries brought into Christianity 151 The CONCLUSION 170 CHRISTIANITY not Mysterious c. The State of the Question N o 1. THERE is nothing that Men make a greater Noise about in our Time especially than what they generally profess least of all to understand It may be easily concluded I mean the Mysteries of the Christian Religion The Divines whose peculiar Province it is to explain them to others almost unanimously own their Ignorance concerning them They gravely tell us we must adore what we cannot comprehend And yet some of 'em press their dubious Comments upon the rest of Mankind with more Assurance and Heat than could be tolerably justify'd tho we should grant them to be absolutely infallible The worst on 't is they are not all of a Mind If you be Orthodox to those you are a Heretick to these He that sides with a Party is adjudg'd to Hell by the Rest and if he declares for none he receives no milder Sentence from all 2. Some of 'em say the Mysteries of the Gospel are to be understood only in the Sense of the Antient Fathers But that is so multifarious and inconsistent with it self as to make it impossible for any Body to believe so many Contradictions at once They themselves did caution their Readers from leaning upon their Authority without the Evidence of Reason And thought as little of becoming a Rule of Faith to their Posterity as we do to ours Moreover as all the Fathers were not Authors so we cannot properly be said to have their genuine Sense The Works of those that have written are wonderfully corrupted and adulterated or not entirely extant And if they were their Meaning is much more obscure and subject to Controversy than that of the Scripture 3. Others tell us we must be of the Mind of some particular Doctors pronounc'd Orthodox by the Authority of the Church But as we are not a whit satisfy'd with any Authority of that Nature so we see these same particular Doctors could no more agree than the whole Herd of the Fathers but tragically declaim'd against one another's Practices and Errors That they were as injudicious violent and factious as other Men That they were for the greatest part very credulous and superstitious in Religion as well as pitifully ignorant and superficial in the minutest Punctilios of Literature In a word that they were of the same Nature and Make with our selves and that we know of no Privilege above us bestow'd upon them by Heaven except Priority of Birth if that be one as it 's likely few will allow 4. Some give a decisive Voice in the Unravelling of Mysteries and the Interpretation of Scripture to a General Council and others to one Man whom they hold to be the Head of the Church Universal upon Earth
hand but the Priest's with the like Ceremonies they had no colour of Authority from the Scriptures but only from Custom and Tradition 93. Now their own Advantage being the Motive that put the Primitive Clergy upon reviving Mystery they quickly erected themselves by its Assistance into a separate and politick Body tho not so soon into their various Orders and Degrees For in the two first Centuries we meet with no Sub-Deacons Readers or the like much less with the Names or Dignities of Popes Cardinals Patriarchs Metropolitans Archbishops Primates Suffragans Archdeacons Deans Chancellors Vicars or their numerous Dependants and Retinue But in small time Mystery made way for those and several other Usurpations upon Mankind under pretence of Labourers in the Lord's Vineyard 94. The Degrees or Constitutions concerning Ceremonies and Discipline to encrease the Splendor of this new State did strangely affect stupify and amaze the Minds of the ignorant People and made them believe they were in good earnest Mediators between God and Men that could fix Sanctity to certain Times Places Persons or Actions They seem'd almost a different and more divine Species of Creatures distinguishing themselves from other Men in their Garb in their manner of living by Tithes and Donations in their separate Places at Church and several other ways By this means the Clergy were able to do any thing they engross'd at length the sole Right of interpreting Scripture and with it claim'd Infallibility to their Body 95. This is the true Origin and Progress of the Christian Mysteries and we may observe how great a share of their Establishment is owing to Ceremonies These never fail to take off the Mind from the Substance of Religion and lead Men into dangerous Mistakes for Ceremonies being easily observ'd every one thinks himself religious enough that exactly performs them But there is nothing so naturally opposite as CEREMONY and CHRISTIANITY The latter discovers Religion naked to all the World and the former delivers it under mystical Representations of a meerly arbitrary Signification 96. It is visible then that Ceremonies perplex instead of explaining but supposing they made things easier then that would be the best Religion which had most of them for they are generally and may all be made equally significative A Candle put â—…nto the Hands of the Baptiz'd to denote the Light of the Gospel is every whit as good a Ceremony as to make the Sign of the Cross upon their Fore-heads in token of owning Christ for their Master and Saviour Wine Milk and Honey signify spiritual Nourishment Strength and Gladness as well as standing at the Gospel betokens our Readiness to hear or profess it 97. In short there 's no degree of Enthusiasm higher than placing Religion in such Fooleries nor any thing so base as by these fraudulent Arts to make the Gospel of no effect unles as sar as it serves a Party But I shall have a better Occasion of exhausting the Subject of Ceremonies elsewhere I treat of 'em here only as they made up the Gentile Mysteries and were afterwards brought in to constitute those of the Christians But as the vastmultitudes of the latter quickly render'd all secret Rites almost impossible so to preserve the Mystery things were purposely made downright unintelligible or very perplex'd In this Poiâ—… our pretended Christians outdid all the Mysteries of the Heathens for the Honour of these might be destroy'd by Discovery or the babling Tongue of any initiated Person But the new Mysteries were thus securely plac'd above the Reach of all Sense and Reason Nay so jealous were the CLERGY of their own Order lest any of 'em should irreligiously unfold those sublime Mysteries to the profanely inquisitive LAITY that they thought fit to put it as much out of the Power of the Holy Tribe it self as out of ours to understand them and so it continues in a great measure to this day The CONCLUSION THUS I have endeavour'd to shew others what I'm fully convinc'd of my self that there is no MYSTERY in CHRISTIANITY or the most perfect Religion and that by Consequence nothing contradictory or inconceivable however made an Article of Faith can be contain'd in the Gospel if it be really the Word of God for I have hitherto argu'd only upon this Supposition for the Reasons to be seen towards the end of the Preface Notwithstanding all Pretences that may be made to the contrary it is evident that no particular Instances or Doctrines of any sort can serve for a proper Answer to this DISCOURSE for as long as the Reasons of it hold good whatever Instance can be alledg'd must either be found not mysterious or if it prove a MYSTERY not divinely reveal'd There is no middle way that I can see When those Passages of Scripture I have cited for my Assertion are either reconcil'd to such as any would bring against me or prov'd not to be understood by me when my Arguments against all inconceivable Mysteries and the Absurdity of God's revealing any such Mysteries are confuted 't is time enough then for others to produce Examples or for me to consider ' em And tho by convincing People that all the Parts of their RELIGION must not only be in themselves but to them also must appear sound and intelligible I might justly leave every one to discover to himself the Reasonableness or Unreasonableness of his Religion which is no difficult Business when once Men are perswaded that they have a right to do it yet the Duties I ow GOD and the World oblige me to proceed further according as I enjoy Health or Leisure without limiting my self as to any time that being a thing in no Man's Power to command at his Pleasure My next Task therefore is God willing to prove the Doctrines of the New Testament perspicuous possible and most worthy of God as well as all calculated for the highest Benefits of Man Some will not thank me it 's probable for so useful an Undertaking and others will make me a Heretick in grain for what I have perform'd already But as it is Duty and no Body's Appláuse which is the Rule of my Actions so God knows I no more value this cheap and ridiculous Nick-name of a Heretick than Paul did besore me for I acknowledg no ORTHODOXY but the TRVTH and I 'm sure where-ever the TRVTH is there must be also the CHVRCH of God I mean and not any Human Faction or Policy Besides the Imputation of Heterodoxy being now as liberal upon the slightest Occasions out of Ignorance Passion or Malice as in the Days of Ireneus and Epiphanius it is many times instead of a Reproach the greatest Honour imaginable Some good Men may be apt to say that supposing my Opinion never so true it may notwithstanding occasion much harm because when People find themselves impos'd upon in any part of Religion they are ready to call the whole in question This Offence is plainly taken not given and my Design is nothing
the less good if ill-dispos'd Persons abuse it as they frequently do Learning Reason Scripture and the best things in the World But it is visible to every one that they are the Contradictions and Mysteries unjustly charg'd upon Religion which occasion so many to become Deists and Atheists And it should be consider'd likewise that when any not acquainted with it are dazl'd by the sudden Splendor of the Truth their Number is not comparable to theirs who see clearly by its Light Because several turn'd Libertines and Atheists when PRIEST-CRAFT was laid so open at the Reformation were Luther Calvin or Zwinglius to be blam'd for it or which should weigh most with them these few prejudic'd Scepticks or those thousands they converted from the Superstitions of Rome I 'm therefore for giving no Quarter to ERROR under any pretence and will be sure where-ever I have Ability or Opportunity to expose it in its true Colours without rendring my Labour ineffectual by weakly mincing or softning of any thing FINIS 2 Pct. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 1. 7. Mat. 15. 9. 1 Cor. 14. 8 9. Ver. 9. Rom. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 14. 11. Ver. 2. Acts 14. 17. Num. 23. 19. Ephes. 4. 14. Ephes. 4. 17 18. Rom. 4. 17. 1 Cor. 2. ii Deut. 29. 29. Deut. 13. 1 2 3. * The Service of many Gods Deut. 18. 21 22. Jer. 32. 7 8 Luke 1 34 35. Ver. 38. Mat. 7. 14. 2 Tim. 3. 13. Tit. 1. 10. 1 Thess. 5. 21. 1 Joh. 4. 1. Psal. 32. 9. Eph. 5. 15 1 Cor. 10. 15. 1 Cor. 14. 6. Deut. 30. 11 14. Joh. 3. 2. Joh. 9. 16. Joh. 10. 21. Joh. 10. 37 38. Joh. 7. 31. Joh. 2. 23. Heb. 2. 3 4. 2 Cor. 4. 2. 1 Pâ—…t 3. 15. 1 Cor. 2. 1. Ver. 4. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Luk. 4. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 14. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constantly signifies the animal and never the natural State of Man It should be in this Place translated sensual as it is very rightly Jam. 3. 15. and Jude v. 19. Rom. 8. 5 7. Heb. 12. 1. Rom. 7. 23. Ver. 21. Joh. 3. 12. Jam. 1. 13 14. Rom. 10. 14. jer 13. 23. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Jam. I. S. 2 Pet. 3. 3. Jude v. 10. 2 Con 4. 3 4. ‖ How the absolute Liberty we expertence in our selves is consistent with God's Omnipâ—…lency and our Dependancâ—… on him shall in due Place bâ—… censider'd Rom. I. 22 23 25. * Procul O procul este Prosani Conclamat vates totoque absistite Iuco Virg. 1. 6. AEneid v. 259. Callimach Hymo in Apol. v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. in Phaedon pag. 69. Edit Paris 1578. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isocrat in Panegyr Initiaque ut appellantur ita re vera principia vitae cognovimus neque solum cum laetitia vivendi rationem accepimus sed etiam cum spe meliore moriendi Cic. l. 2. de Leg. c. 14. †Quis Cereris rirus audet vulgare Profanis Magnaque Threïcio sacra reperta Samo Ovid. l. 2. de Arte Amand. v. 601. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ariltid ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solipater in Divis. Quaest. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristophanes in Avibus etiam Suidas in voce †Acarnanes duo Juvenes per Initiorum dies non Initiati Templum Cereris imprudentes Reâ—…igionis cum caetera turba ingressi sunt Facilè eos Serâ—…no prodidit absurdè quaedam percunctantes Deductique ad Antistites Templi quum palam esset per errorem ingressos tanquam ob infandum scelus interfecti sunt Livius lib. 31. cap. 14. ‖ Witness the Story of Peatheus which asforded the Subject of a Tragedy to Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scholiast in Aristophanis Ranas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schol. in Plut. Aristophan Act. 4. Sc. 2. ‖ Pars obscura cavis celebrabant Orgia cistis Orgia quae frustra cupiunt audire Prosani Cat. Epigram 64. v. 260. Luk. 2. 52. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 7 8. Ver. 9 10. * As if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been a Corruption of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cebet Tab. p. 11. Ed. Amst. 1689. 1 Cor. 2. 16. Rom. 5. 12. Heb. 10. 1. Luke 10. 24. 2 Cor. 3. 12 13. Ver. 14. Rom. 16. 25 26. Aâ—…s â—…0 20 27. Rom. 11. 15. * M. de Fontenelle dans son Histos e des Oracles * Monsieur Perrault dans ses Parallelles des Anciens des Modernes * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 578. edit Col. 1688. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idâ—…m ibid. pag. 576. Exod. 17. 11. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 338. edit Col. 1636. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 294. * Quotidiè obsidemur quotidiè prodimur Si semper â—…mus quando proditum cst quodadmittimus Immo à quibus prodi potuit â—…b ipsis reis Non utique cum vel ex forma omnibus Mysteriis silentii fides debeatur Samothracâ—…a Eleusinia reticentur quantò magis talia quae prodita interim etiam Humanam animadversionem provocabunt dum Diviâ—… servatur Pag. 8. edit Paris 1675. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 6. contra Cels. pag. 291. edit Câ—… 1677. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 3. contra 〈◊〉 pag. 135. Col. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 3. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 22. Rom. 8. 7. 2 Cor. 10 4 5. Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 10. 14. Ver. 1â—… Heb. 11. 1. Rom. 8. 24 25. Heb. 11. 13. Joh. 8. 12. 9. 5. Acts 13. 47. Eph. 1. 17. Ver. 18. Eph. 5. 17. Rom. 14. 5. Heb. 11. 17 18 19. * So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated Ver. 12. Rom. 4. 19 20 21. 1 John 2. 4 6. Eph. 4. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 2. Heb. 5. 12 13 14. Mark 16. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 15. * Or Priest †The God of the Siameses Joh. 4. 42. Rom. 14. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Mark 12. 37. 1 Pet. 1. 9-12 Acts 14. 11 c. Rom. 10. 4. Mat. 5. 17. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Non discolor ulli Ante aras cultus velantur corpora lino Et Pelusiaco praesulget stamine vertex Sil. Ital. lib. 3. v. 23. Alba decet Cererem vestis Cerealibus albam Sumite Ovid. Fast. l. 4. v. 619. Color autem Albus praecipuè decorus Deo est tum in caeteris tum maxime in Textili Cic. l. 2. de Leg. cap. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian de Deae Syriae Sacerdotibuâ—… Linigeri fugiunt Calvi sistrataque Turba Martial l. 12. Ep. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Sacerdos stipatum me religiosa cohorte deducit ad proximas balneas priùs sueto lavacro traditum praefatus Deûm veniam purissimè circumrorans abluit Apul. Haec sanctè ut poscas Tiberino in gurgite mergis Manè caput bis terque noctem Flumine pur gas Pers. Sat. 2. v. 15. Ter caput irrorat ter collit in aethera palmas Ovid. Fast. l. 4. v. 31 c. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alex. pag. 13. Arnob. lib. 5. ‖ Vos quoque abesse procul jubeo discedite ab ariâ—… Queis tulit hesterna gaudia nocte Venus Tibul. l. 2. Eleg. 1. v. 11. Casta placent superis pura cum veste venite Et manibus pueris sumite fontis aquam Titul ibid. v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Omne nefas omnemque mali purgamina causam Credebant nostri tollere posse senes Ovid. Fast. l. 2. v. 35. Ah nimium faciles qui tristia crimina caedis Fluminea tolli posse putatis aqua Idem ib. v. 45. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homil. in Matth. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (*) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De providen Sect. 2. * Norunt initiati August in locis pluribus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom in Genes in Homil. 27. alibi passim †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orpheus Lucianus c. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hicrosol praefâ—…t in 〈◊〉 Ed. t. Paris 1631. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Olympiodor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Denique ut a Baptismate ingrediar aquam adituri ibidem sed aliquanto prius in eccleâ—…a sub Antistitis manu contestamur nos renunciare Diabolo pompae angelis ejus Dehinc tâ—…r mâ—…rgitamur amplius aliquid respondentes quam Dominus in Evangelio determinavit Inde suscepti lactis mellis concordiam praegustamus ex eaque die Lavacro quotidiano per totam Hebdomadem abstinemus Tertullian pag. 102. †Egressi de Lavacro perunguimur benedicta Unctione c. Id. pag. 226. ‖ Tertul in loco citato * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scholiast in Plut. Aristophan †Priusquam in eos scil mortuous injecta Gleba est Locus ille ubi crematum est corpus nihil habâ—…t Religionis Anglicè Before this Ceremony ' tâ—…s not Halowd Ground Cic. l. a. de Leg. cap. 22. Archytas naufragus praetereuntem exoâ—…ans ne se insepuâ—…um relinquat sic prâ—…ces absolvit apud Horatium Quanquam 〈◊〉 non est mora longa licebit Injecto TER pu'vere curras Liâ—… 1. Od. 28. v. 35. ‖ Ris Dâ—…a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…c tu conversus ad ortum Dic quater vivo pâ—…rlue rore manâ—…s Ovid Fast. 1. 4. v. 777. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian pag. 674. â—…dit Amst. 1687. * Harum aliarum ejusmodi Disciplinarum si legem expostules Scripturarum nullam invenies Traditio tibi praetenditur auctrix Consuetudo confirmatrix Fides observatrix Pag. 102. Act. 24. 14.