, a celebrated French ecclesiastic, was born July 14, 1634, at Paris.
, a celebrated French ecclesiastic, was born July 14, 1634, at Paris. He entered the
congregation of the Oratory, Nov. 17, 1657, and devoted
himself wholly to the study of Scripture, and the Fathers,
and the composition of works of piety. When scarcely
twenty-eight, he was appointed first director of the Institution of his order, at Paris, under father Jourdain; and
began, in that house, his famous book of “Moral Reflections
” on each verse of the New Testament, for the
use of young pupils of the Oratory. This work originallyconsisted only of some devout meditations on our Saviour’s
words; but M. de Lomenie, who, from being minister and
secretary of state, had entered the Oratory, the marquis de
Laigue, and other pious persons, being pleased with this
beginning, requested father Quesnel to make similar reflections on every part of the four Gospels. Having complied,
M. de Laigue mentioned the book to Felix de Vialart, bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne and that prelate, who was.
much celebrated for his piety, adopted the work in his diocese, and recommended the reading- of it by a mandate of
November 9, 1671, after having had it printed at Paris by
Pralard the same year, with consent of the archbishop Harlai, the royal privilege, and the approbation of the doctors.
Father Quesnel afterwards assisted in a new edition of St.
Leo’s works. When De Harlai banished father De Sainte
Marthe, general of the Oratory, he obliged father Quesnel,
who was much attached to him, to retire to Orleans 1681.
The general assembly of the Oratory having ordered, in
1684, the signature of a form of doctrine, drawn up in
1678, respecting various points of philosophy and theology,
father Quesnel refused to sign it, and withdrew into the
Spanish Netherlands, in February 1685. He took advantage of the absurd mixture of philosophy and theology introduced into this form. After this he went to M. Arnauld
at Brussels, residing with him till his death, and there
finished the “Moral Reflections
” on the whole New Testament; which, thus completed, was first published in 1693
and 1694, and approved in 1695, by cardinal de Noailles,
then bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne, who recommended it
by a mandate to his clergy and people. When the same
prelate became archbishop of Paris, he employed some
divines to examine these “Reflections
” carefully and it
was after this revisal that they were published at Paris, 1699.
This edition is more ample than any other. The celebrated archbishop of Meaux was also engaged on the subject; and “The Justification of the Moral Reflections,
against the Problem,
” appeared under his name Idee generale du
Libelle, public en Latin,
” &c. the other, “Anatomic de
la Sentence de M. l'Archeveque de Malines.
” Several
pieces appeared, soon after, against the book of “Moral
Reflections
” two had been published before one entitled,
“Le Pere Quesnel heretique
” the other, “Le Pere
Quesnel Seditieux.
” These publications induced pope
Clement XI. to condemn it altogether, by a decree of July
15, 1708; but this decree did not appease the contest, and
father Quesnel refuted it with great warmth, 1709, in a
work entitled “Entretiens sur le Décret de Rome, contre
le Nouveau Testament de Chalons, accompagne de reflexions morales.
” In the mean time, the bishops of Lucon, la Rochelle, and Gap, condemned his book by mandates, which were to be followed and supported by a letter
addressed to the king, and signed by the greatest part of
the French bishops. This was sent to them, ready drawn
p but the plan was partly defeated for a packet intended
by the abbe Bochart de Saron for the bishop of Clement,
his uncle, and which contained a copy of the letter to the
king, fell into the hands of cardinal de Noailles, and much
contusion ensued. At length, the disputes on this subject
still continuing, pope Clement XL at the solicitation of
Louis XIV. published, September 8, 1713, the celebrated
bull beginning with the words, “Unigenitus Dei Filius,
”
by which he condemned father Quesnel’s book, with 101
propositions extracted from it, and every thing that had
been written, or that should be written, in its defence.
This bull was received by the assembly of the French
clergy, and registered in parliament, in 17 14, with modifications. Cardinal de Noailles, however, and seven other
prelates refused, and lettres de cachet were issued by Louis
XIV. against them but after his decease, the cardinal and
several other bishops appealed from the bull to a general
council, all which proceedings produced disputes in the
French church that lasted nearly to the time of the revolution.