In the Church of England form of Ordination, the Bishop says, to the candidate for the priesthood: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose sins ye shall forgive, they are forgiven, and whose sins ye shall retain, they are retained." These words, most Reverend Gentlemen, were said over each of you, by your Bishops, when you presented yourselves candidates, for ordination. Now, did you receive any spiritual power, or was this a mere form? If you answer, it was a mere form, you then have no more power, in this respect, than a mere layman; but if you answer, you did receive a power, it must have been, either a _declaratory_, or a _judicial_ power to forgive sins; if it was only a _declaratory_ power, viz., to declare, that the sinner, would obtain forgiveness if he truly repented, then, _any layman_, possesses this power _without ordination_; for any layman, can confidently declare, that _penitent_ sinners are pardoned; but if you received a _judicial_ power, to forgive sins, then, this is popish doctrine, and this would lead you, and your flock, step by step, to the very verge of the precipice. But to the verge of what precipice? Why your Protestant common prayer-book, shall now tell you. Really, most Reverend Gentlemen, I am afraid of quoting this passage, from your prayer-book; for it will not _merely lead_ you to _the verge_, but it will _hurl_ you, all headlong, down the precipice of the popish doctrine, of Auricular Confession, and Absolution. But we had better, go step by step, and therefore, I will quote a _choice piece_, that occurs in your Protestant common prayer-book, just before the recommendation of Auricular Confession, and Absolution. Your godly prayer-book, says, in the visitation of the sick, "the ministers shall not omit, earnestly to move, such sick persons, as are of ability, _to be liberal to the poor_." It is a pity, O godly Church, that thou didst not give this advice to thyself, at the Reformation, when thou stolest, so much money from the poor, and then, made the nation make up, by church-rates and poor-rates, for what thou hadst stolen. Thou art really a very disinterested spiritual physician, for thou art most solicitous about thy children, practising the virtue of _charity themselves_, but as for _thyself_, thou will practise charity, as soon as it is convenient, or as soon as the spirit moves thee, or the nation makes thee.