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I. A Description of the Person addressed.
II. The Direction given to him.

III. The Encouragement to follow it. I. The Person addressed is thus described, "If any of you lack Wisdom."

Wisdom is sometimes used in Scripture in a limited sense, and is put for the whole of Religion, real, vital, practical religion. And the reason is clear, for nothing but such religion is, in fact, true Wisdom, and really deserves the name. But it is also used in a more general and comprehensive sense, and is employed to signify every kind of religious knowledge, instruction, or experience. And this is the sense in which we must understand it in the text. To lack wisdom is to be without it, to be in want of it. So that the person addressed in the text is described as being one, who stands in need of religious instruction. There is some doctrine concerning which he wants information; some part of his duty, on which he is deficient in knowledge; some point, respecting which he is ignorant and needs to be taught.

But it is one thing to lack wisdom, and another to know that we lack it. Men may be very ignorant on religious matters, without being sensible of their ignorance. They may be fools, and yet deem themselves wise. They may be blind, and yet say that they

see.

And so long as this is the case with a man, he will never look upon himself as the person addressed in the text. He will neither follow the direction, nor value the encouragement which it affords. Before he does these things, he must feel that he lacks Wisdom.

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The person then here addressed, may be thus more accurately described. He is one who is sensible of his spiritual ignorance; who knows that he stands in need of religious instruction, and anxiously desires to be taught. Now, my brethren, is such the case with any of you? Do any of you feel that you lack Wisdom? There are many ways in which you may feel your need of it. I will mention some of the more common. You may feel your ignorance in respect to the doctrines of the Gospel, and may wish for clearer information about them. Your eyes may have been partly opened, just enough to show you how little you knew as you ought; and to raise in you a desire of knowing more. Like the man, whose blindness our Saviour began to take away," You may see men as trees walking." You may see something of God's grace and mercy in the Gospel: but you see it dimly, and this makes you long to see it more clearly. You wish that you could understand this or that point more

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distinctly; that such a doubt were removed; that such a difficulty were obviated; or that such a doctrine were made plainer. Your soul is athirst for living water, and you long to draw out of the wells of Salvation. Thus you may lack Wisdom.

Or perhaps you are in doubt as to some practical step in your conduct. Two or more ways offer themselves to your choice: but you know not which of them to prefer. You would gladly fix upon that, which would be most pleasing to God, and most profitable to your own soul. But you know not which that would be. After balancing all sides in your mind, you are still at a loss how to decide. You cannot clearly discern which is the path of duty, nor satisfy yourself which course in the end will be best. Your conscience is alive and tender. You would gladly do right, but you fear to do You hesitate, and are in suspense, wrong. and anxiously wish for further light and more specific information. Thus you may lack Wisdom.

Or perhaps you feel your ignorance in another way. You are under trial and af fliction. You know that the visitation is from God, and that it is sent generally for your spiritual good. But you know not what particular good it is intended to produce. You are sensible that the Lord is

contending with you; but you cannot distinctly see wherefore he contendeth. You acknowledge the Lord's hand in the correction. You meekly submit to it, and seriously desire to reap from it the benefit which it is meant to convey. But you are at a loss. how to proceed. You would gladly improve the affliction to the good of your soul; but you know not how. Here again you lack Wisdom.

Or further, you may stand in need of instruction in another way. You may be called to some arduous and difficult service. You may be required to fill some station, or to discharge some duty, to which you feel yourself utterly incompetent. You may be sensible that God's glory and your own peace, depend on your executing the office imposed on you in a suitable manner: but at the same time you may be conscious, that to execute it thus, requires a larger measure of prudence, or skill, of fortitude, or perseverance than you naturally possess. You dare not desert your post, but you know not how to fill it aright. You are afraid of making some mistake which may discredit Religion, or wound your conscience. You long for such increase of foresight and know. ledge as may qualify you for performing your duty with comfort and credit. Thus you may lack Wisdom.

To repeat then the question, Do any of you, my brethren, in one or more of these ways, or in any other way, feel and lament your ignorance, and seriously wish for further light and knowledge? If so, you may consider yourself the person addressed in the text. Observe, then,

II. The direction given to him, “Let him ask of God."

God is the Fountain and Source of all Wisdom and He only is the Giver of Wisdom. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights." We are accustomed to pray to Him as the God, "from whom all good counsels, as well as all holy desires, and all just works do proceed." It is to God then that you must apply under your wants, for He only can supply them. He only can give to you the wisdom which you lack. He only, by his Spirit, can enlighten the darkened mind, can open the eyes of the understanding, and can communicate to the soul a clear and distinct perception of heavenly things. Those who have been taught the Truth as it is in Jesus, have been "taught of God:" without whose teaching they never would have learned it.

Our

Saviour tells his disciples, that it was "given to them to see the mysteries of the kingdom of God:" and the reason why the

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