THE

ERRORS

OF

MODERN INFIDELITY

ILLUSTRATED AND REFUTED.

BY

S. M. SCHMUCKER, A. M.,

PASTOR OF THE FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH, GERMANTOWN, PA.

PHILADELPHIA:

GRIGG, ELLIOT AND CO.,

Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by

S. M. SCHMUCKER,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

PHILADELPHIA:

T. K. AND P. G. COLLINS, PRINTERS.

PREFACE.

THE subject of Modern Infidelity may be discussed in one of two ways; either by taking a survey of the different schools according to their national distinctions, such as the German and the French Infidelity; or by choosing out from all these various systems the most important points which they may have defended, and endeavor thus singly to refute them. The objection to the first method, when taken separately, would be, that, in examining the different schools in their order, inasmuch as some of their dogmas are similar, there would be danger of repeating the same discussions. The objection to the second method, when separately taken, would be the danger of overlooking some interesting historical developments which have occurred during the progress of these respective schools.

An attempt has therefore been made in these pages, to combine these two methods. The reader will find, in one of the chapters, a survey of the peculiar doctrines of each of the separate schools of Modern Infidelity, sufficient, it is hoped, to give some idea of the nature, as well as the error, of each system. On the other hand, the most important doctrines which have been defended by Modern Infidels of any school, are selected and discussed throughout the book. Thus, the main position of German Infidels has been, that no divine revelation should contain anything

5713

825

28789

1*

above the grasp of reason; and when giving a Critique of all Revelations, they have usually maintained that ground. This point has, therefore, been discussed in one of the chapters. So the main objections of French Infidels against the Scriptures, from Voltaire downwards, have been based upon the peculiar character of the men and the means first employed to propagate Christianity. An attempt is there fore made to investigate that point in another chapter. Thus, all the most important individual objections which have been urged by the abettors of Modern Infidelity, of any grade or school, against the Bible, have here been made the subject of discussion; so that we hope no one point has been passed by, which has any very serious bearing on the truthfulness and the divinity of a Religion which can so powerfully promote both the present and the future welfare of mankind.

NOVEMBER, 1847.