Contentedly Ignorant (and others)

Contentedly Ignorant (and others)

Curiosity is one of the most dangerous engines, which the devil uses to undo souls with. When satan observes that men do in good earnest set themselves to the obtaining of knowledge, then he strives to turn them to vain inquires and curious speculations; so that he may keep them busied about unprofitable curiosities.

The way to make us mere fools, is to attempt to know more than God would have us to know. Adam's tree of knowledge made him and his posterity fools (Gen. 3:5-6). Curiosity was the bait whereby the devil caught our first parents - and undid us all! Adam had a mind to know as much of God as God Himself; and by this means he came to know nothing. Curiosity is that sickness of the soul, whereby it longs for novelties, and loathes sound and wholesome truths; it is the epidemic distemper of this age. (Basil says that multitudes of questions may be made about a fly - which no philosopher is ever able to answer; how much more about heaven, hell, or the work of grace!)

Ah! how many are there who spend their precious time in inscrutable and curious questions! Ah, what did Christ dispute of among the doctors? Where did paradise stand? In what part of the world is local hell? What fruit was it that Adam ate, and ruined us all? What became of Moses body? How many orders and degrees of elect angels are there? etc.

Oh, that we could learn to be contentedly ignorant, where God would not have us knowing! Let us not account it any disparagement to acknowledge some depths in God's counsels, purposes, decrees, and judgments - which our shallow reason cannot fathom, (Romans 11:33).

It is sad when men will be wise above what is written, and love to pry into God's secrets, and scan the mysteries of religion by carnal reason. God often plagues such pride and curiosity by leaving that sort of men to strange and fearful falls.

When a curious inquisitor asked Austin what God did before He created the world, Austin told him that "God was making hell for such busy questionists, for such curious inquirers into God's secrets!" Such sharp replies are the best answers to men of curious minds.

Though I ought piously to reverence the wonderful wisdom of God, and to wonder at His unsearchable judgments - yet I ought not curiously and profanely to search beyond the compass of that which God has revealed to us in His Word.

~Thomas Brooks~
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He Has Become the Worst of Creatures

Man before the fall was the best of creatures - but since his fall he has become the worst of creatures. He who was once the image of God, the glory of Paradise, the world's master, and the Lord's darling - has now become an abomination to God, a burden to heaven, a plague to the world, and a slave to satan.

When man first came out of God's mint, he did shine most gloriously, as being bespangled with holiness and clad with the royal robe of righteousness. His understanding was filled with knowledge; his will with an uprightness; his affections with holiness, etc. But yet, being a muable creature, and subject to temptations, satan quickly stripped him of his happiness, and cheated and cozened him out of his imperial crowns - with an apple!

~Thomas Brooks~
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God Has An Iron Memory

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws on their hearts, and I will write them on their minds, I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts" (Hebrews 10:16-17).

The meaning is, their iniquities shall be quite forgotten: I will never more mention them, I will never more take notice of them, they shall never hear more of them from Me. Though God has an iron memory to remember the sins of the wicked - yet He has no memory to remember the sins of the righteous.

~Thomas Brooks~
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Who Can Show Us Any Good?

"Many are asking - who can show us any good?" (Ps. 4:6).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest good, a universal good, a matchless good, an incomparable good, an infinite good, an eternal good, the most suitable good for my poor soul. There is everything in Christ which suits the state, necessities, and needs of my poor soul. There is mercy in Him to pardon me, and power in Him to save me, and wisdom in Him to counsel me, and grace in Him to enrich me, and righteousness in Him to clothe me.

~Thomas Brooks~