Gods arrow against atheists. By Henry SmithGods arrovve against atheists. By Henrie Smith

4 Fourthly, the Religion of Mahomet is fleshly, consisting in natural delights and corporal pleasures, which show that man, & not the divine spirit of God, is the author thereof: for it is permitted the Saracens by that his law to have four wives (though these be of nigh kin) yea five, marrying them virgins, and to take beside as many of them which they have bought and taken captives,¹ as their ability will serve to maintain. The paradise likewise promised to his followers is this, namely, they shall have garments of silk, with all sorts of colours, bracelets of gold and Amber, parlours and banqueting houses upon floods and rivers, vessels of gold and silver, Angels serving them bringing in gold, milk, silver, wine, lodgings furnished, cushions, pillows, and down-beds, most beautiful women to accompany them, maidens and virgins with twinkling eyes, gardens and orchards with harbours, fountains, springs, and all manner of pleasant fruit, rivers of milk, honey, and spiced wine, all manner of sweet odours, perfumes, and fragrant ⟨image 37⟩scents, and to be short, whatsoever the flesh that desire to eat. Thus fleshly people have a fleshly religion, & a fleshly paradise to inhabit. But like Prophet like people, and like religion: for Mahomet himself was such a fleshly fellow, as that though modest ears are both to hear, yet because the filthiness of this Prophet may not be concealed, I must utter it: he committed buggery with an Ass,² Bonfinius writeth it. Again, he committed adultery with an other mans wife, that upon displeasure was from her husband, and when he perceived the murmur of the people, he feigned that he had received a paper from heaven, wherein it was permitted him so to do, to the end he might beget Prophets and worthy men. Again Mahomet (as Caelius reporteth) had forty wives, and further he gloried of himself, that it was given him from above to exceed ten men (saith Cleonard) fifty men (saith Antoninus) in carnal lust and venery. Avicenna one of Mahomets own sect, is himself brought in disliking of this Religion, for this reason:

4 Fourthly, the Religion of Mahomet is fleshly, consisting in natural delights and corporal pleasures, which shew that man, & not the diuine spirite of God, is the author therof: for it is permitted the Saracens by that his lawe to haue foure wiues (though these be of nigh kinne) yea fiue, marrying them virgins, and to take beside as many of them which they haue bought and taken captiues,