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Title:  The folly and unreasonableness of atheism demonstrated from the advantage and pleasure of a religious life, the faculties of humane souls, the structure of animate bodies, & the origin and frame of the world : in eight sermons preached at the lecture founded by ... Robert BOyle, Esquire, in the first year MDCXCII / by Richard Bentley ...
Author: Bentley, Richard, 1662-1742.
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Religion. For none revolt from the Faith for such things as are thought peculiar to Christia∣nity; Not because they must love and pray for their enemies, but because they must not poison or stabMatt. 5. 44. them: not because they must not look upon a Woman to lust after her, but because they are much more re∣strain'dver. 28. from committing the Act. If wanton glances and lascivious thoughts had been permitted by the Gospel, and only the gross Act forbidden; they would have apostatized nevertheless. This we may conjecture from what Plato and others havePlato de Legib. lib. 10. p. 886. Ed. Steph. told us, that it was commonly , immoderate Affections and Lusts, that in the very times of Paganism induced men to be A∣theists. It seems their impure and brutal Sensuali∣ty was too much confined by the Religion of those Countries, where even Venus and Bacchus had their Temples. Let not therefore voluptuous Atheists lay all the fault of their Sins upon the Infirmity of Humane Nature; nor plead that Flesh and Blood cannot resist those Temptations, which have all their force and prevalence from long Custom and inveterated Habit. What enticement, what plea∣sure is there in common profane Swearing? yet nei∣ther the fear of God nor of the Law will persuade men to leave it. 'Tis prevailing Example that hath now made it fashionable, but it hath not al∣ways 0