endangers his peace of mind, and the welfare of his soul. Again, in the manner of executing what his conscience dictates, he is also at a loss. He may be too bold, or too timid ; too faithful, or too obse- quious. The different dispositions of all with whom he has to do must be consulted, and his conduct be adapted to them in all the diversified situations in which he is called to act. But " who is sufficient for these things?" Often does he wish for an expe- rienced counsellor to advise him ; and almost sit down in despair of ever attaining such a measure of wisdom as is necessary for him. It is to persons so circumstanced that St. James addresses the direc- tions in our text. He supposes them to have " fallen into divers temptations," and to be labouring so to " possess their souls in patience/' that " patience may have its perfect work, and that they may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." But how is all this to be effected ? Any mariner may steer a vessel in a calm : but how shall one so inexperienced regulate it in a storm ; and so regulate it, that it shall in no respect be driven out of its course ? To these anxious questions the Apostle gives an answer : wherein he directs us,
I. How to seek wisdom —
True wisdom is the gift of God —
[Even earthly wisdom must in reality be traced to God as its author. The persons who formed the tabernacle and all its vessels derived all their skill from Goda: and even those who move in a sphere which may be supposed to be suited to the meanest capacity, and spend their lives in the common pursuits of agriculture, can no farther approve themselves skilful in their work, than they are instructed by God himselfb. But spiritual wisdom is still farther out of the reach of unas- sisted reason, because it is conversant about things " which no human eye has seen, or ear heard, or heart conceived, and which can only be revealed by the Spirit of Godc." It is emphatically "a wisdom which is from above d," and which can " come only from the Father of lights, with whom is no
a Exod. xxxvi. 1,2. '•' Isai. xxviii. 23 — 29.
« 1 Cor. ii. 9—12. " Jam. iii. 17.