William Stephens - Thus that Upright Judge, whose three Letters my Friend having...

Thus that Upright Judge, whose three Letters my Friend having read, did well approve of 'em, acknowledging, that with great Exactness he had distinguished between Religion and Priest-craft: And he added, If you will shew me, Sir, any Christian Church where that distinction is observed, I will become a Member of it. I recommended the Church of ; he presently told me that he had read the 39 Articles, and observed that 3 of them were wholly design'd to uphold the Power of the Clergy over the People. And then he bad me only compare the, which has been, and still is, carrying on under the Name of the Church of, with the Design of the Christian Religion, as 'tis described by Sir ; and I should find one in all its parts a Contradiction to the other. 'Tis plain () the Clergy do not allow of Sir 's Notions, nor will they suffer us to take any thing for Religion, that is distinguished from their particular Interest. To what end have so many Persecutions and Penal Laws been set a foot by the Clergy in Christendom? Was it to bring Men to any one Point of that full Description of Christian Religion, which you cited from Sir or only to bring them to that short Article of their Clergy Religion, to submit to their Power?