<title page>

THE
Folly and Unreasonableness
OF
ATHEISM
Demonstrated from
The Advantage and Pleasure of a Religious Life,
The Faculties of Human Souls,
The Structure of Animate Bodies, &
The Origin and Frame of the World:

In EIGHT SERMONS
Preached at the Lecture Founded by
The Honourable ROBERT BOYLE, Esquire;

In the First Year MDCXCII.

By RICHARD BENTLEY, M. A.
Chaplain to the Right Reverend Father in God,
EDWARD, Lord Bishop of Worcester.

LONDON,
Printed by J. H. for H. Mortlock at the Phœnix in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1693.

<A1>

THE
Folly of Atheism,
And (what is now called) DEISM;
Even with Respect to the Present Life.
A
SERMON
Preached in the
Church of St. Martin in the Fields,
March the VII. 16912.
Being the First of the Lecture Founded by the Honourable ROBERT BOYLE, Esquire.

By RICHARD BENTLEY, M. A.
Chaplain to the Right Reverend Father in God,
EDWARD, Lord Bishop of Worcester.

LONDON,
Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside, and H. Mortock at the Phœnix in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1692.

<A1v>

Imprimatur,
Mar. 18. - 912. Ra. Barker.

<A2>

To my most Honoured Patrons,
TRUSTEES appointed by the Will of the
Honourable ROBERT BOYLE, Esq;
The Right Reverend Father in God, Thomas,
Lord Bishop of Lincoln.
Sir Henry Ashurst, Kt and Baronet.
Sir John Rotheram, Serjeant at Law.
John Evelyn, senior, Esquire.

Most Honoured,

GOD having disposed the Heart of that incomparable Person, the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esquire, lately deceased, the Glory of our Nation and Age, whose Charity and Goodness were as universal as his Learning and Fame; 'To settle an Annual Salary for some Divine or Preaching Minister, who shall be enjoyned to perform the Offices following: 1. To preach Eight Sermons in the Year, for proving the Christian Religion against notorious Infidels, viz. Atheists, Deists, Pagans, Jews and Mahometans; <A2v> not descending to any Controversies that are among Christians themselves: These Lectures to be on the First Monday of the respective Months of January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November; in such Church as the Trustees shall from time to time appoint: 2. To be assisting to all Companies, and encouraging them in any Undertaking for propagating the Christian Religion: 3. To be ready to satisfie such Real Scruples as any may have concerning those Matters; and to answer such New Objections or Difficulties as may be stated, to which good Answers have not yet been made:' You have been pleased to believe me able in some measure to perform these Offices, and to command this First Essay to be made publick. I am very sensible of the great Honour, as well as the great Extent and Difficulty of the Task; and shall endeavour to the utmost of my poor ability to answer the religious and generous Design of that Excellent Person, and the good Opinion you have entertained of,

My most Honoured Patrons,

Your very obliged and humble Servant,

R. Bentley.

© 2024 The Newton Project

Professor Rob Iliffe
Director, AHRC Newton Papers Project

Scott Mandelbrote,
Fellow & Perne librarian, Peterhouse, Cambridge

Faculty of History, George Street, Oxford, OX1 2RL - newtonproject@history.ox.ac.uk

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