Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

XXX
are few studies more profitable than the calm and
unprejudiced contemplation of such a character as
<strong>Quesnel</strong>. Few things more tend to exalt the grace
and mercy of Christ—few things more tend to wean
us from following too implicitly any human teacher—-
few things more warn us against adopting all the
opinions of any human writer.
But let us classify the defects in our excellent
Author. They are either derived from a want of
clearness in the parcelling out and dividing the truths
which he held—or they spring from the actual in-
sertion of unscriptural doctrines and tenets—or they
arise from an erroneous system of interpreting the
language of holy Scripture.
1. There is a want of clearness in the parcelling
OUT AND DIVIDING THE CAPITAL TRUTHS
WHICH HE REALLY HELD. He believed most cor-
dially and fully all fundanjental truths, as we have
repeatedly shown, but he had not the blessing of a
pure education in scriptural divinity ; and therefore
truth lay in his mind undivided, unarranged, or rather
divided and arranged falsely and dangerously.
The doctrine of justification by faith only, with-
out the deeds of the law, <strong>Quesnel</strong> did not explicitly,
though he most certainly did implicitly, believe.
Sometimes he states the justification of man clearly
and fully; but in general, obscurely and confusedly.
This is from the different truths of the Gospel not
being parcelled out and divided by a free and inde-
pendent study of the Holy Scriptures. The church
of Rome confounds justification and sanctification.
The church of Rome holds merits and satisfactions,
and works of supererogation. <strong>Quesnel</strong> is hampered.