Pasquier Quesnel

The father Pasquier Quesnel , oratorien, born with Paris the July 14th 1634 and died in Amsterdam the December 2nd 1719, was a theologist Janséniste, famous in his writings and the long fight which it supported during the quarrels of jansénisme.

A not very traditional Oratorien

Resulting from an old noble family, it made in Sorbonne brilliant studies in Philosophie and Théologie. At the age of twenty-three years, in 1657, it entered the Congrégation of the Oratory where its talents were made profitable with the service of the young people. It was devoted to it to the study of the Scriptures and the Pères saints, and with the composition of devotional books. It was hardly twenty-eight years old when its superiors considered it able to fill important employment of first director of the institution of Paris.

A theology jansénisante

Reflections morals

It composed with the use of its pupils a Épitomé of Morals of the Évangéliste S, or Thought Christian on the Texts of the Four Evangelists , who was published in 1671. By significant successive developments, this work became the New Testament in French with Reflections Morals on each verse (Paris, 1687 - 1692), work which caused a sharp polemic until finally, in 1708, its doctrines were condemned by Clément XI.

But, its first work of importance, contained in the edition of 1671 already five of the 101 proposals (12, 13,30,60 and 65) criticized later in the Bubble Unigenitus .

Influenced, like many oratoriens, by the doctrines Jansenists, Quesnel had introduced them into its Réflexions Morals on New Testament. This work with which it begin, which is that produced the most glare and which made the life of the author so stormy.

It appears that it was made with good intention and that originally it did not contain anything reprehensible: it consisted only of short maxims and pious thoughts on the words of the Saver, that the author had written for the use of the young fellow-members who it was charged to inform.

Saint-Leon

Moreover, it had adopted, concerning papacy, the lesson of Marco Antonio de Dominis and of Edmond Richer. It published (Paris, 1675; Lyon, 1700) a complete edition of work of Leon Large the. The notes and the theses which he added, very erudite, are marked by its attacks against the infallibility and even the primacy of Rome. Consequently, this work was put at the Index and Quesnel was satisfied to answer by a disrespectful protest towards the ecclesiastical authorities.

The exile in Orleans

It was occupied at the same time, by the councils of Nicole, to make on the Acts of the Apostles and on the Epîtres of holy Paul same work that it had undertaken on the Evangiles . Up to that point nothing had come to disturb it in its occupations; but Monseigneur de Harlay having made exile the P. Abel of Holy-Marthe, general of the Oratory, friend of Antoine Arnauld, and which shared the opinions of this doctor. Quesnel, which one knew strong attache with his general superior and that one believed with reason imbu of the same principles, accepted order to leave Paris and the diocese. It was withdrawn from its own liking in the house of the Oratory of Orleans, where it arrived about December 1681.

An enthusiastic Jansenist

Brussels

Its opinions Jansenists, which it expressed more and more, thus made it exile in Orleans. It continued to work there with its Réflexions morals , when a new incident still obliged it to change residence.

In an assembly held in 1678, the congregation of the Oratory had drawn up for it a form of doctrines which condemned and defended to teach the philosophy of Descartes, received in some schools, and jansénisme. A new assembly, held in 1684, required of all the members of the Oratory the signature of this form. Several refused it, and Quesnel was number. It left the congregation, and, fearing to be worried if it remained in France, it went to join Arnauld to Brussels and remained near him until its last moments (1694) and of which he took the place with the head of the party Jansenist.

The difficulties of a stay in foreign country did not moderate the heat of its proselytism and did not decrease its literary activity.

The polemic of the Reflections morals

It is in Brussels that Quesnel completed its book of the Réflexions morals . He revives of it the first part, printed in 1671, and more extent gave him to put it in connection with its new work. The work, thus remade with nine, appeared in 1694 and was presented to Louis-Antoine de Noailles, which had succeeded Mr. Vialart on the seat of Châlons-sur-Marne. This prelate, informed that this book had course in its diocese and there was tasted, after having made there, says one, some changes, approved it by mandement June 23rd 1695, and the reading recommended some to the clergy and faithful of its diocese, like had made its predecessor.

Up to that point the Réflexions morals had not made great noise, and it is not seen that they had been the object of any Animadversion. An unforeseen event made a bone of contention of it. Mr. de Noailles, who was not still cardinal, was this same year transferred on the metropolitan seat from Paris. The August 20th 1696, it published an ordinance in which it condemned a book of the abbot Barcos entitled Exposition of the faith of the Church touching the grace and predestination . It was, as it well is imagined, all the doctrines of Port-Royal.

Two years afterwards, one saw appearing, under the ecclesiastical title of Problème , a writing where the author opposed Louis-Antoine de Noailles, bishop of Châlons in 1695, approving these doctrines in the Réflexions morals , with Louis-Antoine de Noailles, archbishop of Paris in 1696, condemning the same doctrines in the Exposure of the faith ; one asked it malignement for which of both it was necessary to believe about it.

The Problème was condemned to fire by stop of the Parlement of Paris of the January 10th 1699; but that did not draw Mr. de Noailles from the painful state where put this embarrassing dilemma.

Bossuet

It is known today that the dogmatic part of the ordinance of the August 20th was the work of Bossuet. The famous prelate believed himself about it only more obliged to assist of the archbishop from Paris: consequently,

he composed a writing whose object was to show that there were essential differences between the doctrines of the book of the Exposition , that Mr. archbishop had condemned, and that of the book of the P. Quesnel, that he had approved, and as for the proposals for this last work which could offer a direction répréhensibie, he endeavoured to reduce them within the meaning of the Thomiste S, which the Church makes it possible the schools to admit or reject.

It is this writing and some other work of the same kind that the P. Quesnel and its partisans call the Justification of the Reflections morals , by Bossuet. Pasquier Quesnel, in search of moral legitimacy, tried to cover his doctrines of the authority of Bossuet, in order to reconcile a clergy gallican in his majority. Bossuet had been requested to examine the text of the Réflexions morals and had agree to do it. It had even written a foreword like prefaces with a new edition, insisting however on the correction of one hundred twenty proposals which it had found reprehensible. As this condition had not been accepted, he had refused his co-operation and had retained the prepared foreword.

One must with the Histoire of Bossuet , by the Cardinal of Bausset, the complete explanation of this point of criticism: it results from its account that, far from to have approved the book of the Réflexions morals , Bossuet had found many things there to be repeated and had proposed to put many paperboards at it. Either insinuation, or fear and shame to contradict itself, Mr. de Noailles, who was named cardinal the following year, did not want to authorize that one touched there.

The return of the conflict

The new edition of the Réflexions morals appeared in 1699, without corrections, but also without approval of Mr. de Noailles. The effect of the ecclesiastical Problème was to revive the arguments that the peace of Clément IX had had the aim of choking. One saw on both sides multiplying writings where one was made an all-out war. The majority left Brussels, where Quesnel, become the chief of the party since the death of Arnauld, lived under supposed names and laic clothes.

But in 1703, Humbert de Precipiano, archbishop of Malignant, fearing that the peace of its diocese was not compromised by it, obtained Philippe V an order to make it stop. Quesnel was discovered, seized and locked up in the prisons of officiality, from where, while his lawsuit was informed, some friends, while boring the walls, managed to make it escape.

Amsterdam

It hid again, wandered during some time, not without concern, having been stopped with Namur and Huy: it could finally go to Amsterdam, where Godde, évèque of Sebaste and apostolic vicar in Holland, which had just been deposited for its attachment with the same party, had invited it to come to find asylum. There, it could write in freedom, and the USA largely right of attack and defense. It continued, facing all the interdicts and all the censures, to write to support its ideas. Been obstinated in the tracking of its targets, he did not hesitate to take pseudonyms and to disguise himself to escape the authorities.

Clement XI, wanting to put an end to these disputes, returned the July 13rd 1708 a decree by which he condemned the book of the Réflexions morals , with rather severe qualifications. This measurement not having produced the wished, Louis XIV, tired effect to see the Church of France torn by divisions, required of the pope an enough marked constitution to put an end to the debates. It is on this request and according to the report/ratio for a congregation created for this purpose, and with the meetings of which the pope often assisted, that was drawn up the famous constitution Unigenitus ; she condemned the book of the Réflexions morals and hundred proposals which are extracted from it, with various qualifications, among which that of heresy is, however without application to any particular proposal and also without approval of the remainder of the work.

The bubble Unigenitus

This bubble was not at once accepted unanimously. In an assembly of forty nine bishops, behavior the January 25th 1714, under the presidency of the cardinal from Noailles, forty accepted it; the nine others, among which the cardinal was, were of opinion to await explanations. One of the nine nevertheless, Mr. of Clermont, bishop of Laon, meets in the majority, the Parliament of Paris recorded the bubble, example which was followed by the majority of the courses of the kingdom. The Sorbonne, on letters of jussion, registered it on its registers, in spite of mandement of the cardinal, who defended anything to him to rule in this respect. Louis XIV died without nothing being finished. The opposition, the calls, the scission in the episcopal body remained during Regency: it was only in 1718 that the cardinal of Noailles yielded by accepting the bubble definitively.

Last sacraments

Confronted with the risk to see itself refusing the last sacraments per hour of its death, he asked and accepted these last sacraments the December 2nd 1719, in his 86e year, and, in the presence of two protonotaires apostolic and other witnesses, he made a profession of faith.

This formula was privileged by the Jansenists because it did not refer to pontifical infallibility nor with the condemned proposals.

Its writings

Quesnel having passed all its life to be written, the list of its works is extremely numerous. The principal ones are, in addition to the book of the Réflexions morals :

an edition of the works of Saint-Leon (made on a manuscript brought of Venice, which had been given to the house institution Oratory of Paris), with notes, observations and essays, 2 vol. in-4°.

Among many work of Quesnel, in addition to those already mentioned one can quote especially:

I. Writings enough " classiques"

Shortened morals of the Gospel , 1687, 3 vol. in-12;
Three dedications , in-18;
Letters against the nudities addressed to the nuns which have care of the education of the girls ;
the Idea of the Priesthood and the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ , in-12, often reprinted;
three dedications: baptismal dedication, the sacerdotal one and religious dedication ;
Rise with Ours-Lord Jesus-Christ on her Passion and her Death, in-18;
penitent Jesus , in-12;
Of the happiness of Christian death , in-12;
Christian Prayers with practices of piety , in-12;
Office of Jesus with reflections , in-8°;
Collection of spiritual letters on various subjects of morals and piety ; under the pseudonym of Géry,
historical Apology for two censures (against Lessius) of the University of Douai ; under the pseudonym of Germain.

II. Writings in mobility Jansenist

Tradition of the Roman Church on the predestination of the saints and the efficacious grace , Cologne, 1687, 4 vol. in-12, under the name of the German sior, Doctor of Divinity;
the discipline of the Church drawn from New Testament and some old councils , Lyon, 1689, 2 vol. in-4°;
Caused Arnaldina , 1699, in-8°, a work published in another form like the justification of Mr. Arnauld , 1702, 3 vol. in-12.
History shortened of the life of Antoine Arnauld , Liege, 1699, 2 vol., in-12;
the Sovereignty of the kings defended against Leydeker , Paris, in-12. ;
Talks on the Decree of Rome against New Testament de Châlons accompanied by reflections morals ;
finally seven Memories being used for the history of the constitution Unigenitus .

III. Comments

This list, however incomplete, includes/understands in its first part only of work almost always useful and edifying; in its second part, on the contrary, and especially the last seven are or impregnated principles Jansenists or devoted mainly to their defense.

There exists an extraordinary quantity of memories, polemical writings, opuscules, parts relating to the disputes in which Quesnel was engaged, productions of circumstance, forgotten as of the 19th century and whose Moréri gives the long nomenclature.

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