hundred and fifty churches of the Romish persuasion, which are served by about four hundred priests. In Dutch Flanders there are also a great number of Romish churches and priests. Of the churches in the seven provinces, fifty-one, which are served by seventy-four priests, are of the Jansenist party. The rest have embraced the opinions of the Jesuits. In most churches there is but one priest-in some, two or more, in proportion to the number of their members. The priests are chiefly secular, but there are at least a hundred regular ones*, as minorites, preaching friars, jesuits, augustines, franciscans, benedictines, &c.; of these last description, the minorites and preaching friars, are the most numerous. Of the priests who have received the bull Unigenitus, fifty have the title of arch-priest. Among the Jansenites there is one arch-deacon from the archbishopric of Utrecht, and five arch-priests.

In Gelderland, among forty churches and as many priests, there is but one church and priest who are Jansenists. In Holland, among two hundred and fifty churches and two hundred and thirty-five priests, forty churches and sixty priests are Jansenists. In Zealand, there are three churches and four priests, who have all received the papal bull. In Utrecht, among thirty churches and forty-five priests, eight churches and twelve priests are Jansenists. In Friesland, among twenty-four churches, and thirty-one priests, but one church is Jansenist, which is served by two priests. In Overyssel, there are twentyseven churches, and thirty priests, all of whom have

The clergy of the church of Rome are divided into regular and secular. The regular consists of those monks or religious who have taken upon them the Holy Orders of the priesthood, in their respective monasteries. The secular are those who are not of any religious order, and have the care and direction of parishes.

received the papal bull. In Groningen, and the Low Countries, there are ten churches, which are served by thirty priests, who have also received the above-mentioned bull. It is calculated that the Roman catholics constitute one-third of the whole number of the inhabitants of the United Provinces.

The priests who have received the papal bull, are generally appointed by the Pope's nuncios, with the approbation of the nominal chapter of Haerlem. There are yet eight priests who call themselves canons of the said chapter; and one has the title of Dean of the chapter. The existence of such a chapter, however, is denied by some of the friends of the above bull. The priests thus appointed, are obliged to sign a formula, by which they subject themselves to the bulls of Innocent X. and Alexander VII. which condemn the sentiments of the Jansenists, and the bull of Clement XI. called Unigenitus, which requires the above bulls to be received with respectful silence; and also promise perpetual obedience to the Roman hierarchy, the papal vicar, and the internuncios. They moreover engage, that they will hold no fellowship with such as do not submit to the Roman see, and will report to the vicar or internuncius at Brussels, all such as do not obey the abovementioned bulls. They abominate all such who, in spiritual matters, have recourse at any time to civil magistracy, or in any degree protest against the authority of the see of Rome. The priests of North-Holland, who are approved by the chapter of Haerlem, simply adopt the bull Unigenitus, and promise to take care that their congregations adopt it also. To make this adoption more general, the university of Louvain, where many catholics prepare themselves for priests in this country, in the year 1730, determined to give no degree to any student until he had adopted the bulls already mentioned.

This accounts for the fact, that those who have adopted the papal bulls are the most numerous.

At the head of the Jansenists is the nominal archbishop of Utrecht. In the vacant bishopric of Haerlem, is a vicar of the same party, who possesses his spiritual jurisdiction, and receives no spiritual authority from the archbishop. These two fill the

churches as they become vacant, with priests of their own denomination. The nominal chapter of Utrecht, by whom the archbishop is chosen, consists of nine canons, including the archbishop and dean. Among the canons is one who fills the office of Secretary, and another that of Censor, of books. The other Roman Catholics insist, that the chapter of Utrecht, since the separation of the country from Spain, is become extinct, because the places of the canons are filled by the Reformed. The Jansenists, on the contrary, with great zeal defend the legality of the chapter against their opponents.

(To be continued.)

FROM THE RELIGIOUS MONITOR.

A Letter of the late Rev. H. Venn, to one who had just entered on a Religious Life.

DEAR SIR,

Nov. 6, 1765.

I CANNOT leave Shropshire, without giving you

joy on your determination to live in the service of Christ. This connects us more closely than if we had sprung from the same parents; for, in numberless instances, brothers will be separated from each other, as far as heaven is from hell; but all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, shall dwell for ever with him. Love to him and your soul prompts me to lay before you a few hints, furnished from long service in the church of Christ, which had I received on my entrance into it, they might have preserved me from many hurtful mistakes.

Your Christian calling is a warfare, where no quarter can be given on either side. If you prove faithful unto death, angels will receive your departing soul; eternal glory will be your crown; the armies of the saints will receive you with transport, as a soul ransomed with that precious blood to which they owe their all; and the Redeemer's presence will be your heaven for evermore. Should you forsake his service, or hold secret correspondence with his foes, you must be punished, like them, with eternal infamy in hell.

The enemies you have to oppose, and conquer, will probably be, first, your former intimates, friends, and nearest relations, whose polite conversation, and affection for you, have been so pleasing; for, till

their judgment of sin, true religion, and man's chief good, are formed from Scripture, as your own now is, they must both despise and hate the way of life in which you must persist. With these opposers, your corrupt nature will take part; and also a subtle destroyer, long practised in arts and wiles to compass the ruin of immortal souls. In this perilous condition, you have joined yourself, (effectually influenced by his grace,) to Christ, as your leader and commander, Under his banner, diligently using the means he in tenderest love enjoins, you are confidently to expect both protection and victory.

These means, are secret prayer; study of the Bible; public worship; hearing his preachers; Christian society; and much retirement.

Secret prayer, at stated times, was constantly practised by our Lord. All his illustrious saints have done the same. Indeed, stated times of prayer, where they can be had, are no less needful to make the soul flourish, than stated meals to keep the body in health. Wilfully to neglect them, is to walk contrary to the example of Christ and his saints, which can never produce resemblance to them in our life. Yet stated times of secret prayer will grow tiresome, and prove of no use, unless you take pains to present yourself a worshipper before the Lord in spirit and in truth, by looking up, and begging that the Spirit of grace and supplication may be poured out upon your soul. But when you duly observe stated times of secret prayer, be not cast down, because you find great stupidity of mind, and know not what to ask; or because you feel your faith weak, much backwardness to pray, and a swarm of idle thoughts oppressing you. Do not on this account, leave off your constant devotions; nor question whether they will profit your soul. It is much for your good, to feel that you have no power of yourself to command