Of the Desire of Knowledge
S. Clarke, D. D. Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever… I. THERE IS NATURALLY IN MAN A VERY STRONG DESIRE AFTER KNOWLEDGE. II. THIS OUR DESIRE OF KNOWLEDGE OUGHT TO BE REGULATED AND LIMITED BY THE CONDITION OF OUR NATURE AND BY THE WORD OF GOD. 1. We ought not to be ambitious of that knowledge which the condition and circumstances of our nature make it impossible for us to obtain. 2. As we ought not to be ambitious of what it is impossible for us to attain, so neither ought we to be solicitous after that which it is unlawful for us to desire. And here that which the Scripture determines in respect of our desire after knowledge is this — (1) That we ought not to endeavour to penetrate into things too deep for us, such as are the hidden and secret counsels or unrevealed decrees of God. (2) The Scripture further forbids the desire of that knowledge, the means of obtaining which are unlawful. (3) The Scripture forbids us so to search after the knowledge of anything else whatever as in the too earnest pursuit of that to neglect the study of the law of God. Those Divine truths which influence our practice, which furnish our mind with worthy notions of God and charitable dispositions towards our neighbours, and make men wise unto salvation, are the things which God has proposed to fix our thoughts and our studies upon. III. To show HOW GREAT A SIN IT IS NOT TO REGULATE OUR DESIRES OF KNOWLEDGE BY THE FORE-MENTIONED RULES. And — 1. To determine dogmatically in things not clearly revealed, and to take delight in imposing upon each other such determinations, is in effect directly striving against that order and constitution of things which God has appointed, and endeavouring to make ourselves what God has not made us. 2. The not regulating this desire by the forementioned rules was the occasion of our first parents' fall. This appears from the description of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:6). It is also evident from the description of the manner of the temptation (ver. 5). A desire of knowledge not regulated by the rules before set down is very apt to put men upon unlawful practices to attain what they so desire. For that which is not to be attained but by unwarrantable practices, the desire of it cannot but be also sinful. From what has been said it follows — (1) That the vain desire of knowing beforehand things to come is such a desire of the knowledge of secret things as is not permitted us by the present circumstances and condition of our nature, or by the Word of God. (2) That a desire of prying into the unrevealed decrees, counsels, and purposes of God, and desiring to impose upon others our opinions concerning them, is also such a desire of the knowledge of secret things as is not permitted us by the law of our nature, or by the Word of God. (3) An over-earnest desire of knowing things subtle and unnecessary to be known, so as in the pursuit of the knowledge of these things to neglect the study of that which more nearly concerns us, is also a sort of that search after knowledge which is forbidden in the Scripture. (S. Clarke, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. WEB: The secret things belong to Yahweh our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.