III. _They have prescription for their Privilege. Their function has been in Possession of Esteem in all Ages, and Countries._ I. _Upon the account of their Relation to the Deity._ The Holy _Order_ is appropriated to the Divine Worship: And a _Priest_ has the peculiar Honour to _Belong_ to nothing less then God Almighty. Now the Credit of the _Service_ always rises in proportion to the Quality and Greatness of the Master. And for this Reason 'tis more Honourable to serve a Prince, than a private Person. To apply this. Christian _Priests_ are the Principal Ministers of Gods Kingdom. They Represent his Person, Publish his Laws, Pass his Pardons, and Preside in his Worship. To expose a _Priest_ much more to burlesque his Function, is an Affront to the Diety. All indignities done to Ambassadors, are interpreted upon their Masters, and reveng'd as such. To outrage the _Ministers_ of Religion, is in effect to deny the Being, or Providence of God; And to treat the _Bible_ like a _Romance_. As much as to say the Stories of an other World are nothing but a little _Priest-craft_, and therefore I am resolv'd to Lash the Profession. But to droll upon the Institutions of God; To make his Ministers cheap, and his Authority contemptible; To do this is little less than open defyance. Tis a sort of Challenge to awaken his Vengeance, to exert his Omnipotence; and do Right to his Honour. If the Profession of a Courtier was unfashionable, a Princes Commission thought a Scandal, and the _Magistracy_ laught at for their Business; the Monarch had need look to himself in time; He may conclude his Person is despis'd, his Authority but a Jest, and the People ready either to change their Master, or set up for themselves. Government and Religion, no less than _Trade_ Subsist upon Reputation. 'Tis true God can't be Deposed, neither does his Happiness depend upon Homage; But since he does not Govern by Omnipotence, since he leaves Men to their Liberty, Acknowledgment must sink, and Obedience decline, in proportion to the Lessenings of Authority. How provoking an Indignity of this kind must be, is easy to imagine. II. The Functions and Authorities of Religion have a great Influence on _Society_. The Interest of this Life lies very much in the Belief of another. So that if our Hopes were bounded with _Sight_, and _Sense_, if _Eternity_ was out of the Case, General Advantage, and Publick Reason, and Secular Policy, would oblige us to be just to the _Priesthood_. For _Priests_, and Religion always stand and fall together; Now Religion is the Basis of Government, and Man is a wretched Companion without it. When Conscience takes its Leave, Good Faith, and Good Nature goes with it. _Atheism_ is all Self, Mean and Mercenary. The _Atheist_ has no _Hereafter_, and therefore will be sure to make the most of this World. Interest, and Pleasure, are the Gods he Worships, and to these he'll Sacrifice every Thing else.