Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

IX
to have been dedicated to the love of his crucified
Saviour. The fall, and total corruption of our na-
ture, the distinct necessity of grace for the produc-
tion of any thing really good, the grateful adoration
of the purposes and will of God towards his elect
these formed the foundation of <strong>Quesnel</strong>'s religious
principles. They were not held merely as doctrines;
they were insisted on, felt, followed out into their
consequences. A deep and tender humihty appears
in his spirit, a deadness of affection as to the world,
a perception of joy and peace in the spiritual life,
a faith full of childlike simplicity and repose of
soul on the grace and power of Christ ; a minute
conscientiousness in the application of his principles
to his whole conduct, a skill in detecting false mo-
tives, a bold and uncompromising courage in speaking
truth : these were the fruits of the great scriptural
principles which he had imbibed.
Mixed, however, with these sound and elevated
principles and habits, were many great errors and
superstitions, flowing from his education in the
bosom of the apostate church. His study of the
fathers, instead of being confined to a fair and
scriptural consultation of their writings, was cramped
by his reliance on them as authoritative guides.
They warped his judgment, instead of assisting it.
The doctrine of justification was confounded with
that of sanctification ; and though both were bot-
tomed upon grace, in the most decisive manner, yet
so wide a departure from the statements of Scrip-
ture, could not but have an unfavourable influence
upon the whole tenor of his religion. Thus, like
Pascal, Nicole, Arnauld, St. Cyran, and the other
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