But while we thus express our admiration for the virtues and services of the Jansenists, let us be careful not to confound the distinctions between truth and error; let us view their character with the eye of sober judgment, and examine their whole conduct with clear and unprejudiced discrimination. The Jansenists ever have been, and still are, decided Roman Catholics; exhibiting, it is true, their religion in the most attractive aspect that it has ever assumed since the existence of the Papal dominion, but still the Romish religion. While we admire the delightful spirituality, the elevated devotion, the superior learning and ability which mark many of their writers, we must not close our eyes against the mass of errors and absurdities which sully their creed, appear at times on the pages of their works, and tend to affect the mind with superstition. There is danger, because of our admiration of their virtues, and sympathy with their sufferings, of overlooking these things, and passing them by too indulgently. It is necessary equally to balance the shades and the light, in order to vindicate the Reformers; to justify our protestation against the errors of Rome, and to have a deeper thankfulness that we are entirely freed from its system.

The Jansenists have rejected many of the errors of the Papacy; but they have never rejected the vain idea of union with it as essential to salvation. They have opposed many of its doctrines and observances; but they have never renounced all its claims. After reading their history, it appears strange to to us, that they have not before this seen the faith of Rome to be a corruption, and her pretensions a fable. Strange that they should so assiduously study the Scriptures, and yet regard the writings of the fathers, and the decrees of Councils, as the only legitimate interpreters of the Bible; that they should so closely investigate the prophecies, and yet see in the book of Revelation no appearances of the origin, progress, and nature of Popery; that they should pay such close and critical attention to the Epistle to the Romans, and not be influenced to reject those dogmas and ceremonies, of which there are there no traces such as transubstantiation, extreme unction, the invocation of saints, auricular confession, purgatory, masses, prayers for the dead, and other doctrines and practices, which

seem to us puerile and superstitious; degrading to the understandings of men, and unworthy of the spirit and dignity of the gospel.

But let us not too severely censure those in whose bosoms the flame of genuine piety has glowed; let us not be too rigorous in condemning their apparent contradictions and inconsistencies; but let us rather bless God that he raised up and so long continued them as witnesses of the truth; that they are the salt which has preserved a corrupt Church from absolute moral putrefaction; that in their case, the cloud of Romish superstition has not precluded the cheering rays of the "Sun of righteousness;" that whatever they may be in their creed, yet in all the fundamental doctrines of religion, and in the spirit of their hearts, they are essentially of us. Their involuntary ignorance God has "winked at"-let us too be gentle in our judgment of their conduct. Let us hope that the time is coming when all the Reformed Churches around them shall exhibit an example of doctrinal purity and evangelical piety which may be safely followed; when they shall be entirely separated from a Church which has anathematized and excommunicated them; fellowship with which is a hinderance to their reception of the whole truth, and an impediment to their usefulness in the service of Christ. Several of them in France and Belgium have lately thus acted. May the time soon come when the whole community of Utrecht shall act in like manner; hear and obey the voice of their God-"Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues; for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."

ART. VI.-The Gospels: with Moral Reflections on each Verse. By Pasquier Quesnel. With an Introductory Essay by the Rev. Daniel Wilson, D. D., Vicar of Islington; now Bishop of Calcutta. Revised by the Rev. H. A. Boardman, D. D. In two volumes. Philadelphia: Parry & McMillan, 1855. 8vo. pp. xli. 648, 646.

PROTESTANTS have never been slow in acknowledging the excellencies of good books produced by men within the pale of the Romish Church. In some of these cases, indeed, the authors have fallen under the animadversion of Popes and Councils, for the very works which edify and delight us. Jansenius, Pascal, Nicole, Arnauld, and Quesnel, have in various degrees received the affectionate praise of evangelical Christians. Our own pages, in more than one instance, have been largely occupied with the writings and fortunes of the Port Royalists; and we are glad of this new occasion to acknowledge our debt in the same quarter.*

In a former instance we drew largely on the labours of Dr. Reuchlin, to whose elaborate history of the Port Royal, the celebrated article under that rubric in the Edinburgh Review, by Sir John Stephen, is likewise greatly indebted. We give full notice that in what follows we have borrowed freely from the same copious magazine of recondite facts. The sources on which Reuchlin chiefly relies are indeed beyond our reach, comprising a literary history of Port Royal, by Clemencet, in manuscript, and sundry others in the Archives of Paris.

Quesnel was born at Paris, July 14, 1634. He was descended from a Scotch family of rank; and when we reckon backwards and consider the religious state of the upper class in Scotland, and their close connection with France in the days of Knox, Buchanan, and Welch, we are ready to conclude that it was the prayers and teachings of some Eunice or Lois, which resulted in the eminent piety of the young Parisian. His grandfather was a painter and his father a bookseller. After classical and theological studies at the University, he

*See Princeton Review, 1830, p. 170, Art. Provincial Letters: 1834, p. 471, Jansenius; 1845, p. 239, Jesuits, and p. 252, Pascal: 1849, p. 467. The Arnaulds.

entered the Congregation of the Oratorium Jesu, or Oratoire, in 1657, and took priest's orders in 1659. Two of his brothers, Simon and William, were also Oratorians. These religious persons followed the rule of St. Augustine, but without monastic vows, and comprised some very learned men among their number, such as Malebranche, the philosopher; Morin, the linguist; and Richard Simon, the liberal critic. Young Quesnel seems to have been early led to the use of the pen, and under the generalship of St. Marthe was entrusted with the preparation of important religious writings. Thus, with Juhannet, he produced in 1677 a Précis de Doctrine, or theological syllabus for the Congregation. When, in 1685, the court demanded of all Oratorians subscription to the formula against Jansenism, Quesnel was found by the inquisitorial visitor, Camoin, at Orleans, whither he had retired, because in 1681 the archbishop of Paris had banished him from that diocess. The archbishop had a grudge against him, partly because Quesnel had not dedicated to him the works of St. Leo, and partly because he had declined to enter upon some controversies in which that prelate had looked for his aid. Quesnel refused signature and stated his reasons in writing, but the archbishop announced to the fathers of the Oratory that such signature was the king's express command. Meanwhile, Quesnel had sought refuge in Brussels, where he joined the great Arnauld; and from this place he sent his answer of February 13, 1685. During his residence in the Spanish Netherlands he maintained perfectly amicable relations with the Oratorians of the country. In 1684, the deputies from these religious houses had attended a general convention of the order held at Paris. Conformably to views here expressed, Picquerry, superior of the Flemish houses, declared in 1687 that he would not dishonour his king by subscribing instruments proceeding from another sovereign. He complained also, that the influence of the Jesuits was impairing the strength of the Augustinian doctrine in France.

We have spoken of the edition of St. Leo's works.* It was

S. Leonis Magni Papæ I. Opera omnia, nunc primùm epistolis triginta tribusque de gratiâ Christi opusculis auctiora, secundùm exactam annorum seriem accuratè ordinata, appendicibus, dissertationibus, notis, observationibusque illus. trata. Accedunt S. Hilarii Arelatensis episcopi opuscula, vita et apologia. Paris, 1675. 2 vols. 4to.

one of several labours which entitled Quesnel to a place among the learned. For the basis of his text he used an old Venetian manuscript, which after being the property of Cardinal Grimani was now possessed by the Oratoire. The notes upheld the Gallican doctrines concerning church-liberties. The work appeared in two quartos in 1675, and in July 1676 was condemned by the Congregation of the Index; and this, as a French cardinal who was present says, without taking time so much as to peruse the volumes. Quesnel prepared a defence, which Arnauld persuaded him to suppress lest he should still further embitter his relations with Rome. In 1700 a second edition in folio appeared at Lyons.

But the work of which we have prefixed the title to our remarks is that by which Quesnel will be remembered. He began to prepare it at Paris, as a spiritual help to young Oratorians. At first it consisted only of devotional observations on the words of Jesus; and it was occasioned by a rule of the house according to which every inmate was obliged to digest a collection of our Lord's sayings. Father Nicholas Jourdain also published a book of the same sort, which Quesnel translated into French, at the instance of Count Brienne. The Marquis d'Aigues and some other pious persons urged him to treat the four gospels in the same manner. It appeared at Paris, in 1671, in duodecimo.* Vialart, bishop of Chalons, upon the recommendation of the marquis, read the work, and recommended it in a pastoral letter to his clergy and the Christian public. A third edition in three volumes appeared in 1679; and in 1694 there was a Latin version at Lyons. Before his retirement at Orleans, he had been advised by the celebrated Nicole, to prepare similar reflections upon the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles; and he worked at this both at Orleans and Brussels. The result was a volume of notes on the whole New Testament, printed in 1687. This, however, led to some alteration in his original Morale; for as the remarks on the Gospels were brief compared with those which. followed, they were expanded in the following editions to a

"Abrégé de la Morale de l'Evangile; ou Pensées chrétiennes sur le texte des quatre Evangelistes, pour en rendre la lecture et la méditation plus facile à ceux qui commencent à s'y appliquer."