without being struck with the simplicity of the reformed Protestant church, and without rejoicing in that silent tranquillity in which all the religious controversies of past ages are now apparently buried and forgotten. The solemnity of true devotion has succeeded to that turbulence of the public mind which inflammatory contests must ever produce, and the result of the change has been the manifest promotion of the true interests of religion and virtue.

Among the most enlightened as well as the most generally admired of German theologians, is the author of this volume of Devotional Exercises and Prayers,' which his former translator, Mr. Tooke, now offers to the attention of the public in an English dress. We have frequently made our readers acquainted with the principal features of M. Zollikofer's style as an author, and with the peculiar excellences of his character as a Christian minister. It appears that he is one of the favourite preachers of his day; particularly celebrated not only for that close and perspicuous mode of reasoning which convinces the judgment, but for that energy and animation which speak to the heart; and we should indeed have gathered thus much from his writings, even if it had not been confirmed to us by the concurrent testimony of many of his countrymen. The present volume, it will be seen by the titlepage, is principally intended for the private use of reflecting and sincere Christians;' and to such persons, we doubt not, it will prove very acceptable; more especially as the companion of those hours of retirement which may be devoted to religious exercises, and to the important, though often ungrateful, duty of self-examination. Much seriousness of mind, however, and much more perhaps than the generality of mankind possess, as well as a certain adaptation of the mental powers to habits of grave contemplation, will be requisite preparatives for a due appretiation of the work; of which the author himself appears to be so fully aware, that we cannot refuse to quote his own sentiments on the scope and intention of the volume:

These devotional exercises and prayers are designed for reflecting and sincere Christians, and for them alone. Because they alone are properly capable of devotion and prayer. They alone ean cordially unite in my thoughts and sentiments, which I have here endeavoured to express for them. And even if some of these should think more profoundly and feel more vividly; yet I hope and trust they will find nothing here that is at strife with their mode of thinking and feeling; nothing that is not interesting, more or less, to their understanding and their heart.

'It will be proper, however, somewhat more accurately to define that class of readers, which I imagined and frequently held up to my mind while engaged in this work.

• By

By reflecting Christians I mean such as are not satisfied with the instruction, more or less correct, which they received in their early years, do not blindly and without examination adopt the dogmas of the church-fellowship to which they belong, but reflect themselves upon what they have read, heard, learnt, and endeavour to gain a continually greater proficiency in the knowledge of the truth. Such who perhaps have frequently and long doubted; and now, setting aside all points of controversy, those different opinions, which divide Christians, adhere simply to the essentials of religion and Christianity, or to what all Christians with one consent confess and believe; and endeavour to confirm themselves more and more in them, and to combine them more strictly from day to day with their whole system of thought and affection. As reflecting Christians they lay greater stress upon accurately defined, correct ideas, than upon obscure metaphors, though perhaps adapted to excite stronger sensations. As reflecting Christians they leave undecided many propositions which surpass their comprehension, or of which they cannot acquire sufficient evidence; and this without letting either their peace of mind or their virtue be a sufferer by it.

By sincere Christians I understand those to whom religion and Christianity are truly important, and of indispensable necessity to the mind and the heart; who reflect upon them, and employ themselves in exercises of devotion, not as a matter of duty, but from inclination such whose prevalent dispositions are truly correct and proper; with whom reason has the controul of sensuality; in whose bosoms the love of God and of man, the love of whatever is true and beautiful and just and right, has got the ascendant over all other inclinations and propensities; who therefore indeed err and fail, but never purposely sin, who may sometimes be languid and indolent in good, but never become positively supine and indifferent to duty and virtue; and who, whenever they have the misfortune to sin, that is, knowingly and deliberately to transgress the divine laws or the dictates of their conscience, yet but rarely trespass so far; and as soon as they are aware of it immediately return from their aberrations.'

In conformity with this design of assisting the powers of the reflecting mind in the discharge of the several duties of a Christian station, the first chapter sets out with explaining what it is in which reflection consists, what are its ingredients, what is the distinction between thinking and reflecting, and whence it happens that our thoughts are so frequently defective in light and vivacity, in truth and certainty, in method and consistence; and that knowlege and conduct, belief and practice, are so seldom found in unison.

Reflection generally signifies, as the word itself imports, to think again on what we have already thought, already conceived, to think on it more circumstantially, more steadily, more extensively, and to do this on set purpose and with consciousness, in the design of dwelling longer on these thoughts, in order to dissect and analyze them, to obtain a clearer conception of the proposition

we have conceived or thought upon, to study it in its several parts, in its principles and consequences, to compare it with others, to observe its analogies to us and to other objects, and thence to draw conclusions with regard to our conduct or to our happiness.

For example: God is good. This is a thought which certainly we have often had, often conceived, but on which we perhaps have not often reflected. Would we do so, would we reflect on this thought, we must stop short at it, view it on all sides, see what it contains, and enter upon these or the like considerations; what means then being good? Wherein consists, whereby is shewn, the goodness of an intelligent being? How is it disposed towards others, how does it relate to others? What impression does the sight of the misery or the happiness of others make upon it? And in what instances has God revealed his goodness? Have I received any proofs of his benevolence and his beneficence towards myself? What are these proofs? How are they reconcilable with the pains and sufferings that have sometimes befallen me? Ought not the goodness of God to have great excellences over that of man? Will it not be much wiser, more impartial, more active, more persevering? And if it be so, what am I to conclude from it? What appearances will it enable me to explain? Will it not embrace far more objects, far greater views, than I am able to survey? Will it not frequently in the distribution of its benefits follow such principles and methods, as to me seem extraordinary? Will it not very often be obliged to refuse me and others things which we hold good and desirable? &c.'

Having thus shewn the nature of reflection, and its principal and most important ends, the author proceeds to direct our attention to the chief objects on which it is the prerogative, as well as the duty, of man to employ the efforts of his intellectual faculties. From the primary direction of human inquiry, and consequently first principle of human reflection,— namely, the nature and appointment of man's earthly condition, -we are immediately led to fix our contemplations on the existence of the Deity, on the providence and protection of a superior Being, and on the relations which his creatures bear to Him. The abundant train of religious meditation, which arises from so copious a source, is here ranged in the second class of Objects most worthy of Reflection.' Next follow reflections on Christ and Christianity, on the consequences of virtue and vice, on the worth of things,-on happiness and misery, on the moral quality of our heart and conduct, on mortality and immortality.

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M. Zollikofer considers the great impediments to reflection as arising principally from various causes. First, from an erroneous mode of educating the young; by which, in his opinion, every art is put in practice to restrain them from the free use of their reason, and to stifle in them all inclination REV. NOV. 1816.

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and capacity for exerting it. It appears to him an injudicious mode of treatment to employ only the memory of the child, in making him repeat by rote the ideas of others, without at the same time teaching him the due exercise of his own; and he regards it as the duty of instructors of youth to endeavour to habituate their pupils to independent reflection, and rather to follow the march of their own ideas, though it should not be precisely the direct and proper one, than force them to observe the methodical train of theirs.' On this question, which has been so often and so ably discussed, we shall only observe that a blind adherence to either extreme, without due distinction being made between the dispositions and talents of different pupils, may justly be considered as an injudicious mode of education. It is impossible to lay down any fixed and determined rule which will, in every case, be found applicable. Ideas may be instilled to the advantage and improvement of the pupil, without infringing on that liberty of opinion which should always, even in youth, be held sacred. The judicious instructor, therefore, will act as circumstances direct.

A second impediment to reflection is stated to be the want of practice in it. A third is a dissipated mode of life. A fourth is caused by misguided and turbulent passions being suffered to predominate in the mind over rectitude of feeling, and just impressions of truth. A fifth depends on the consciousness of sin, and a dread of those reproaches of the heart which would infallibiy result from serious meditation. A sixth is the mistaken idea that seriousness and enjoyment are incompatible; and that, by addicting ourselves to much grave reflection, we inevitably become sullen, morose, and unsociable. On all of these points, the author argues with a considerable degree of earnestness; and he not only succeeds in making out his own case, that such are in fact the great obstacles to reflection, but in a most able and judicious manner he points out the means and the assistance by which they may be removed.

This subject concludes the first portion of the volume. The second contains the application of the above general principles to the purposes of devotional exercise, and is intitled, Materials for daily morning and evening reflections and meditations, and particularly daily self-examination, for a Christian, who would walk circumspectly, and successfully endeavour at the attainment of that Christian perfection, whereof he is capable.' We shall present our readers with an extract from both the morning and the evening meditation, in order to give them a general idea of the nature of this part of the work.

' MORNING.

' MORNING.

What relations do I bear to God? What is God respecting me, and what am I respecting him? How ought I therefore to behave to him to-day and every day of my life? And what may I to-day and every day of my life promise myself from him?

In what relative situations do I stand to Jesus, the founder of Christianity? What are his designs upon me, and what am I with reference to him? How and whereby must I as a Christian distinguish myself from those who are not, or only bear the name of Christians? How can I, how must I, as a Christian be the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the substitute of Jesus amongst his brethren?

In what relations am I situated to mankind in general. What are they to me? What am I to them? How must I view and judge of them? How be disposed toward them? How behave toward them? How perform the great duty of universal charity and Christian brotherly love?

In what relations do I stand to those individuals in particular, with whom I am associated in domestic and civil life? What owe I to them as spouse, as head of a family, as brother [as sister], as friend, as tutor, as master [as servant]? What may they justly expect of me? How and wherein can and ought I to be useful to them to-day?

In what relations do I stand to the present and to the future? What is the one to me? and what should the other be to me? Which of the two is means, and which is end? Which merits my greatest attention? Which is deserving of my most ardent endeavours? How must I use and enjoy the one, if I would have the other prove soothing and blissful to me?

How can and should I blend religion with my whole tenour of life? How can and should it be even to-day my instructor, my my guide, my comforter? How can and should I by it dignify my affairs, alleviate my duties, sweeten my satisfactions, and render the several hardships and burdens of this day tolerable, nay even beneficial to me? What lessons, what precepts, what grounds of consolation in these respects does it give me?

How can and should I so pass the present day, that I may rejoice in the evening and need never be ashamed of it? What may probably await me to-day? What affairs? What pleasures? What sufferings? What obstacles and difficulties? What companies? What opportunities to good? What temptations to evil? How must I act with a view to these several objects, that they may be innoxious and profitable to me?'—

• EVENING.

How have I spent this day? Have I reason to be satisfied, with the application and the use of it, with my sentiments and my conduct? Dare I promise myself the approbation of God, my sovereign master and overseer?

Does my conscience accuse me of no intentional sin, no intentionally omitted duty, no wilfully neglected opportunity of good? No intemperance in the gratifications of sense? No im