ART. 22. Sermons on Education, on Reflection, on the Greatness of God in the Works of Nature, and in the Government of the World, on Charity, and various other Topics; from the German of the Rev. George Joachim Zollikofer, Minister of the reformedCongregation at Leipfick. By the Rev. William Tooke, F. R. S. In two Volumes. 8vo. 607 and 608 pp. 11. 15. Long-: man and Co. 1806..

Zollikofer has proved an abundant fource of advantage to his admirer and tranflator Mr. Tooke. Volumes after volumes are prefented to the public, all derived from this copious ftore. Nor is it poffible to deny that his eloquence is abundant, and his inftructions both useful and very various. We must, however, without at all decrying the good that is in them, warn our readers that they must not expect to find in them all the topics of Chriftian faith and practice. Numerous as his difcourfes are, there are none among them that touch upon the doctrine of the Trinity, upon the dignity and preexiftence of Chrift, upon the aid and influences of the Holy Spirit. Excellent as his difcourfes are therefore, as moral inftructions, they are deficient in the great point of laying the true foundation of moral action. All is referred to the man himself, and his fenfe of duty to God and Chrift, nothing to the divine affiftance, without which all thefe ideas are in fact of no practical ufe: pleafing fpeculations, which cannot effectually influence the conduct. All this is fully accounted for in the following paffage of an effay on the character of Zollikofer, by Mr. Chriftian Garve, an attached friend to him.

"He happened to live at a time, when fome tenets of dogma tical theology, which formerly had been tenaciously adhered to, at least among fuch as were appointed to teach them, were beginning to be doubtful even to them. It was referved for our days, to fee the clergy themselves take the torch of reafon in their hands, for throwing a light on the particular objects of their study.". To this clafs therefore belonged Zollikofer, of whom it is confeffed, that " he never fet about any inquiries till after he had entered upon his office." But, "in proportion as the light of his perceptions increased; as the certainty of his convictions augmented; his courage grew greater, in departing from tenets bitherto believed. But in points where he ftill doubted, where he did not fee thoroughly clear, he takes the vulgar propofition, giving it the most practically useful application." Vol. 11. P. 587, &c..

We do not mean, therefore, altogether to decry thofe dif courfes, when we warn our readers, as duty obliges us to do, that they will not find in them all the Chriftianity of the Church of England. Much that is good, in point of advice for conduct, they certainly may find, but the Chriftian bafis of all good

conduct

condit must be fought elfewhere. In the Scriptures and in the writings of the best English divines. The Germans are rationalized to a formidable extent. The prefent copious volumes contain fixty-four difcourfes, the nature of which is fufficiently explained in the title-page. They are, as we have faid, good moral difcourfes, but at mot only femi-chriftian

There is

nothing bad in them, but a deficiency of much that would be ftill better.

ART. 23. An Effay on the Epiftles of Ignatius. By the Rev: W. Cockburn, M.. Chriftian Advocate in the University of Cambridge, and late Fellow of St. John's College. 8vo. 23 PP1s. 6d. Hatchard, Rivingtons, &c. 1806.

This very ufeful Effay opens with a fhort but clear hif tory of the difpute, relating to the genuineness of the Epiftles of Ignatius. As it appears that Lardner, Mofheim, and Gibbon,. the latest writers who have expreffed any incredulity, respecting the fmaller collection, published by Is. Voffius, from the Medicean MS., have offered no new reafons for their unbelief, this able. advocate for truth, undertakes to answer distinctly the strongest. arguments urged by Daillé, by his anonymous defender, and by Blondel, the chief writers on the oppofition fide of the question. Their objections amount only to nine, fome of which are extremely weak, and the whole are, in our opinion, very ably anfwered by the prefent author. His fumming up, after thefe replies, is in the following terms.

"Thefe are the principal objections urged by the fcrutinizing critics of modern times, to prevent our believing that the Epistles which we now poffefs were written by the real Ignatius. Thefe objections are, in my opinion, of no weight. If the Readerthink with me fo far, he will readily grant that this is the strongest poffible argument in favour of the authenticity of the writings which we are confidering. For if men like Daillé, Blondel, &c. extremely converfant with antiquity, and paffionately eager to dif prove the authority of a book, fo adverse to their favourite scheme of ecclefiaftical government; if fuch men, after the most minute inveftigation, can find no one paffage which may not reasonably be fuppofed to have proceeded from the pen of Ignatius, at the time when he is known to have lived; the fufpicions of forgery muft indeed become very faint. For who could have been the forger? If any one, a few years pofterior to the time of Ignatius, afk for a moment, what object he could have in view. The fashionable controverfies of the fecond century are not touched upon. The Valentinian herefy, which then attracted fo much notice, is certainly not mentioned in fuch a manner, as might induce us to fuppofe that to answer it was the motive of this extraordinary fraud; fince there are but four words in all the book which can be fancied to have the most remote allufion to it.

"If, on the other hand, we fuppofe the forger to have lived long after the death of Ignatius, how can we think it poffible that he fhould have left no proof of the age in which he wrote that he fhould have alluded to no one event which had happened during the long interval that elapfed between himself and the martyr, whofe name he fo wickedly affumed ?

"Let any one who doubts the authenticity of thefe Epiftles, endeavour to fix upon a person who may be conjectured to have written them, and try to affign fome probable motive for the forgery. I think he will foon ceafe to doubt, when he fees how much better they fuit the author whofe name they bear, than any other whom ingenuity or fancy can point out." P. 16.

Mr. C. alfo adds fome other arguments of his own, very ftrongly tending to establish the authenticity of the Epistles. It is certainly a matter of importance to have the truth afcertained, as the teftimony of Ignatius, in thefe Epiftles, is very strong, to the fupport of the authenticity of the Gofpels themfelves, and of fome points of doctrine. To us it is quite a decifive circum tance, that they were found in a very ancient manufcript, and being found, not only comprife all the quotations that have been made by ancient writers; but also with Latin verfions derived from other fources, and themselves alfo of great antiquity. We rejoice to fee a man fo well deferve an honourable title, as Mr. Cockburn does that of CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

ART. 24. A clear and concife Vindication of the Holy Scriptures; in an affectionate Addrefs to the Deifts: adapted like-wife to the Ufe of Practical Unbelievers, doubtful and uninformed Chriftians, the rifing Generation, and all others, concerned in the glorious, common, fundamental Caufe of Divine Revelation. By George Nicholson, Kingston-upon Hull, Yorkshire. 8vo. 79 pp. 1s. Heaton, Leeds; Turner, Hull; Rivingtons, London. 1806.

A very eccentric and fingular, yet an argumentative and vigorous addrefs, or rather an expoftulation. If the author would bring himself to write in a more grave and dignified manner; he might render ufeful fervice, in thefe times, to readers in every clafs of focięty. The appendix offers many falutary hints to the dreamers about political reform and perfection.

ART. 25. Divine Service for the Camp or Garrison, as performed at the Drum Head: with the Outlines of a few Difcourfes, or Field Sermons, adapted to the Understanding and Circumftances of the private Soldier. To which is annexed, a Sketch of the Form of Confecration of a Stand of Colours. By the Reverend William Henry Pratt, Rector of Jonesborough, in the County of Armagh; Chaplain to the Cooktown Cavalry, and Loughry In

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BRIS, CRIT. VOL. XXXI, FEB. 1858.

fantry,

fantry, in the County of Tyrone. 8vo. 40 pp. 1s. 6d. Afperne and Egerton. 1807.

In the preface, many things are well ftated concerning the expediency of re-establishing the commiffion of Military Chaplain, in its original efficiency; and we respectfully recommend this point to the confideration of thofe to whom it properly belongs. Five pages from p. xiii, might have been reduced within as many lines, by mere references. The outlines of Field Sermons (or rather Garrison Sermons as they are called at p. 30,) and the form of confecrating colours, are animated, appropriate, and of ufeful tendency. We fhall produce one fpecimen from the fermon (March 8th, 1807,) preached to the 8th, or King's own regi. ment, which had distinguished itself under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, in Egypt; on which day, being the amiverfary of their land. ing, the men all wore laurel in the morning: "If then, my friends, the character of a gallant foldier is a noble name; continue to preferve it. If the having fought and conquered is a glorious pride; imprefs it upon the younger men who have lately joined your ranks; and excite them to rival the actions of their feniors, and merit that laurel, which you have the honor on this anniversary to difplay. Is a young foldier irregular or disobe. dient; tell him, that he must know and feel that he is enlifted into a regiment whofe honour is untarnished; and he will foon become worthy of being the companion of those who conquered on the plains of Egypt. In fine, my friends, fince you have acquired a glorious name, I conjure you not only to cherish it, but to hand it down with your number, fo long as it fhall exift. So fhall you obtain the favour of heaven, the esteem of your Sovereign, and the gratitude of your country." P. 34.

ART. 26. A Sermon, preached on Wednesday, February the 25th, 1807: the Day appointed for a General Faft and Humiliation; before His Majefty's Coldstream Regiment of Guards in Westminster Hall. By the Rev. William W. Dakins, LL.B. F. S. A. Chaplain to His Royal Highness the Commander in Chief. 4to. Becket and Hatchard. 1807.

24 PP.

A fpirited exhortation; the fubject of which is 2 Chronicles, XV. ver. 2. One or two expreffions, fomewhat deficient in dignity, appear to be in efpecial favour with the preacher; and we mult advife him to difmifs them from his fervice. "Whenever you forfake thefe happy courfes, depend upon it, you will find yourselves under a quite contrary state of affairs." P. 9. "If we fuffer him, who ought ever to poffefs the fupreme place in our affections, to be totally difregarded by us, or thought on only in the moment of calamity and danger; depend upon it, we shall cel the vengeance of his wrath." P. 23. Much more suitable

is a ftile like the following: "Let us lift up our hands with gratitude to the Almighty Father of the univerfe, who "hath his way in the ftorm, "that the dark cloud of error and delufion is gone by; and while we behold powerful nations, and once mighty kingdoms, finking under the grafp of infatiable ambition; let us praife God for his undeferved goodness towards our Zion, and our Jerufalem; and let us invoke his continued favour and protection, that our fleets and armies, going forth in the "power of his might," may prove to the aftonifhed world, that the Lord of Hoits" is with us; and that, under him, we are enabled to bring to nought every combination against our national profperity." P. 18.

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 27. The Hiftory of France, under the Kings of the Race of Valois, from the Acceffion of Charles the Fifth, in 1364, to the Death of Charles the Ninth, in 1574. By Nath. William Wraxall, Efq. The Third Edition, with very confiderable Ad. ·ditions. 8vo. 2 Vols. 16s. Mawman. 1807.

The additions to thefe volumes confift principally in the va rious occafional remarks, which time and ferious reflection on the wonderful events of modern times have fuggefted to the author. Our account of the first edition of this work will be found in our feventh Volume, pp. 341, 534.-and again in Vol. viii. p. 289. -The French nation, obferves this author, have always per formed the fame political part that they do at prefent, and their exertions, whether directed by Charlemagne, by Louis the Fourteenth, or by Buonaparte, have equally ravaged, overrun, or fubjected the Continent. Let not Britons however forget, that from the period of the Conqueft to the reign of Edward the Third our fovereigns held the enjoyment by hereditary right of fome of the greatest and faireft provinces of the French monarchy.

ART. 28. The Antient and Modern Hiftory of Nice, comprehending an Account of the Foundation of Marfeilles; to which are prefixed defcriptive Obfervations on the Nature, Produce, and Climate of the Territory of the former City and its adjoining Towns; with an Introduction, containing Hints of Advice to Invalids, roho with the Hope of arrefting the Progress of Difeafe feek the renovating Influence of thefe falubrious Climes. By J. B. Davis, M.D. one of the British Captives from Verdun, Author of "Projet de Reglement concernant les Decet," and Member of feveral Medical Societies. 8vo. 8... Tipper. 1807.

If peace fhall once more be restored between this country and France, and invalids again be permitted, with fecurity and comfort,

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