If any of you lack wisdom
This shows that the perfection before spoken of is not to be
understood as in this life, since the apostle immediately
supposes lack of wisdom in them; for this is not said in a form
of doubting, whether they wanted it or not, but rather as
supposing, and taking it for granted that they did; and in the
first, and primary sense of the words, it intends wisdom to
behave aright under temptations or afflictions. Saints often want
wisdom to consider God as the author of them, and not look upon
them as matters of chance, or impute them merely to second
causes; but to regard them as coming from the hand of God, and as
his hand upon them, as Job did; who does not ascribe his
calamities to the thieving Chaldeans and Sabeans, to the
boisterous wind, and to the malice of Satan, but to God: they
want wisdom to observe the sovereignty of God in them, and bow
unto it, and be still, and know that he is God, who does all
things well and wisely; and likewise to see and know that all are
in love, and in very faithfulness, and for good; as well as to
see his name, to hear his rod, and him that has appointed it, his
voice in it, his mind and meaning, and what he designs by it; as
likewise to learn the useful lessons under it, and particularly
to take the cross well, to bear it patiently, and even to count
it all joy, and reckon it to be right, necessary, and useful: it
requires much wisdom to learn all this, and act up to it.
Moreover, this may be applied to all other cases, in which wisdom
is wanted; men want wisdom to conduct them in the common affairs
of life, and especially the people of God; for the children of
the world are wiser in their generation, for themselves and
posterity, and in the management of worldly affairs, than the
children of light; and also to observe the providences of God,
and the footsteps of Providence, and to follow them; and likewise
to make a right use of providences, and behave suitably under
them, and not be lifted up too much in prosperity, nor be cast
down, and too much distressed in adversity; but to consider, that
the one is set against the other, and both work together for
good. Saints have need of wisdom in things spiritual; they want
more grace, which is the truest wisdom, and a larger knowledge of
the Gospel, which is the wisdom of God, the hidden wisdom of God;
and they lack wisdom to know how to walk towards them that are
without, and towards them that are within, so as becomes the
Gospel of Christ: and as this is more or less the case of
everyone
let him ask of God
wisdom; of God the Father, who is the only wise God, who has
abounded in creation, in providence, and, above all, in
redemption and grace, in all wisdom and prudence; and of his Son
Jesus Christ, who is the wisdom of God, and has all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge in him; and of the Spirit of God, who is
a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, and
all divine things:
that giveth to all men liberally;
God is the giver of all good things, in nature, providence, and
grace; every good and perfect gift comes from him, and therefore
he, and he only, should be applied unto: and he gives to "all
men" the bounties of his providence; and to all that ask, and
call upon him in sincerity, the riches of his grace; even to Jews
and Gentiles, high and low, rich and poor, greater or lesser
sinners; all which he gives "liberally", readily, and at once,
freely and cheerfully, and largely and abundantly; not
grudgingly, sparingly, and with a strait hand, but with an open
one, and in a very extensive manner.
And upbraideth not;
with former sins and transgressions, with former miscarriages and
misconduct; or with former kindnesses, suggesting that he had
given largely already, and his favours had been despised or
abused; or he had been treated with ingratitude and neglect; in
which manner sometimes men put off those that apply unto them,
but so does not God; wherefore every word here used is
encouraging to go to God for wisdom: yea, it follows,
and it shall be given him;
God has said it, Christ has promised it, and the apostle might,
with certainty, say it after them, and all experience confirms
the truths of it; See ( Matthew 7:7 Matthew 7:8 ) (
John 14:13
John 14:14
John 14:16
John 14:23 ) .