Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 4 · Section 6
Of Curioſitie.
57 Curioſitie, In 1. Sam. 6, verſe. 16.is too much indeuour to knowe things forbidden, and ſuch things as are nothing to the purpoſe. As touching the arke, Num. 4, 20.God forbad that no man ſhould ſée it, onlie the prieſts did fold the ſame in clothes: afterward, being couered and folden vp, they deliuered it to the ſonnes of Caath to be carried. Ibidem. 15.For if the Leuites had ſéene the ſame, they had died. So God forbad that the people ſhould approch to the mount, or to behold what was doone néere vntounto it: Exo. 19, 12.it was enough for them to be afraid at the lightening and thunder. Exo. 20, 18.Yea, and now it was not lawfull to ſearch ouer-curiouſlie euen of things beſides the purpoſe: foreign.for when Peter had demanded as touching Iohn; Iohn. 21, 21What ſhall this man doo? Chriſt anſwered; What is that vntounto thee? Followe thou me. For while we hauehave our mind occupied in theſe things, the time for better cogitations is loſt. But on the other part alſo we muſt take héed, that we doo not ouer-lightlie receiue whatſoeuer is laid before vsus: for that commeth of a certeine fooliſh inconſtancie. But we muſt be ſtedfaſt and conſtant, and not be moued with euerie wind of new doctrine. Prudentlie did the Theſſalonians, who would confer with the ſcriptures, Acts. 11, 12.and ſée whether thoſe things were true, which were ſpoken of S. Paule: for vponupon another occaſion Chriſt ſaid; Iohn. 5, 39.Search the ſcriptures. When the Papiſts perceiue, that their ſtrange woonders are not beléeued of vsus; to wit, that the bodie of Chriſt & his bloud doo lie hidden vnderunder the ſhewes of bread and wine, they crie out, that we be ouer-curious, and that of vsus is renewed that Iewiſh ſaieng; How? But fooles as they are, they might hauehave remembred, that in the holie ſcriptures, euen the godlie men hauehave oftentimes aſked; How?
Of the queſtion, How? Exod. 4, 10. Iudg. 6, 15.Moſes deſired by praier to be rid of his ambaſſage, and alledged the ſtammering of his ſpéech; And how (ſaith he) ſhall Pharao heare me? And Gedeon; How can I deliuer Iſrael, ſeeing I am the leſt of all my tribe? And Abraham; O that Iſmael might liue in thy ſight! Gen. 17, 18.And how ſhould I knowe that I ſhall poſſeſſe the land of Chanaan? And Sara laughed at the promiſe of God concerning the ſéed. And the bleſſed virgin; How (ſaith ſhe) ſhall this be? Luke. 1, 34.And Ieremie ſaith; Iere. 1, 6.That he was a child, and could not ſpeake. I knowe indéed that of theſe, ſome were reprooued, and ſome praiſed: for Abraham by that faith was iuſtified. And the bleſſed virgine heard; Bleſſed art thou, Luk. 1, 45.which haſt beleeued. But Moſes was blamed, and that in ſuch ſort, as at the laſt God was angrie with him. Then this is the difference, Exod. 4, 14.that they, which through vnbeléefe, aſke the queſtion, How? doo offend and ſinne. But they which deſire, that by this meanes their infirmitie may be ſtrengthened; or they which onelie inquire of the waie and maner, bicauſe they ſée, that they themſelues muſt hauehave to doo in the matter▪ they ſinne not at all. The virgine demanded by what meanes ſhe ſhould bring foorth a ſonne, whether naturallie, or aboue nature. Neither was ſhe for this cauſe vnfaithfull, neither is ſhe reprooued. But when a man ſinneth in this matter, it cannot be perceiued by the words themſelues: for all men after one maner ſaie, How? But God is chéeflie the knower of the hart, & he vnderſtandeth with what mind euerie word is ſpoken. We alſo through things going afore, and following after, may méetlie well vnderſtand a mans meaning. But now, if theſe men were not to be reprooued, which demanded, How, in the words of the Lord; how much leſſe ſhall we be blamed, if, in their lies and vaine deuiſes we doo aſke, How? And vndoubtedlie, Peter commandeth vsus to be readie to render an account of all our doctrine: but theſe men can make no maner of reckoning of their myſteries. They ſaie it is a tradition, we ought not to aſke. If ſo the caſe ſtand, we muſt yéeld: but (as I hauehave ſaid) this eaſineſſe of giuing credit, is no leſſe a fault, than that curioſitie, whereof I began to ſpeake.