Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

XXXVll
compassion and zeal for the souls of their fellow-
creatures; we must acknowledge, that intellectual
errors are less valid to overthrow, than moral and
affectionate emotions of the soul are powerful to
sustain, the spiritual life. The Christian lives by-
love, not by doctrine. If there be light enough in
the understanding, to lead to an acquaintance with
ourselves and with Jesus Christ ; our attainments will
go on in proportion to our holy affections, our fer-
vent prayers, our measure of the Holy Spirit, our
self-abasement and our union with Christ, the Head
of all influence and grace.
3. But we shall be reminded of a third source of
the defects in <strong>Quesnel</strong>'s <strong>Reflections</strong>—A defective
SYSTEM OF INTERPRETATION OF THE HoLY SCRIP-
TURES,—we mean not a totally false system; but
one materially erroneous, defective in its principles,
necessarily leaving the interpreter in uncertainty and
darkness continually. The false principle in the
system is, the interpreting according to human autho-
rities and tradition, and not according to the real
meaning of the Holy Spirit in the word, gathered
by a sound judgment and a careful examination of
the Scriptures themselves. To interpret by the
fathers, is to make the New Testament a nose of
wax. To impose a certain meaning upon Scripture,
instead of drawing all our opinions from that sacred
Book, is fundamentally erroneous. Language is the
mere instrument of communicating ideas. In using
human language, the inspiring Spirit employs ideas
which already form part of the stock of human know-
ledge. This is the point from which we must set
out. Human language must be interpreted by the