Full Idea
Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation; all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though religion were not.
Gist of Idea
Even without religion, there are many guides to morality
Source
Francis Bacon (17: Of Superstition [1625], p.52)
Book Reference
Tuck,Richard: 'Hobbes: a very short introduction' [OUP 2002], p.52
A Reaction
One might add to Bacon's list 'contracts', or 'rational consistency', or 'self-evident human excellence', or 'natural sympathy'. This is a striking idea, which clearly made churchmen uneasy when atheism began to spread.