This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847 edition. Excerpt: ... here stated, the reproach which its professors so perpetually urge against the Catholic tenet, to wit, that it is Pelagian, receives its explanation.f In truth, we discover everywhere, we might almost say, an intentional misrepresentation of the Catholic doctrine: and Melancthon, in this, surpasses Luther himself. Want of solid historical information had an undoubted share in this charge; and this becomes more evident, when we see the Thomists called Pelagian; nay, the views of Luther, on the relation of Grace and Nature, represented as containing the true old Catholic doctrine in opposition to Pelagianism; for never was it taught, not even by St. Augustine, that, by original sin, man was bereft of the moral and religious faculties. But in all this there evidently existed an internal obstacle to the full comprehension of the Catholic doctrine, --an obstacle which we feel ourselves called upon to point out, --while it makes the Lutheran view appear more pardonable, since it shows that it sprang out of a true Christian zeal, which, in this, as in almost every instance, was foolishly directed. The Catholic dogma, that even, in fallen man, moral and religious faculties exist, --faculties which are not always sinful in themselves, and must be exercised even in the work of regeneration, --led some to believe, that such an exercise of the faculties in question was the natural transition to grace, so as to suppose that, according to Catholic principles, a very good use of them was the medium of grace, or, in other words, merited it. Such an opinion were undoubtedly Pelagian; and in that case, not Christ, but man, would merit grace, or rather, grace would cease to be grace. To escape now the like errors, the Reformers supposed man was unable t