James 1:5-11

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (7) For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. (8) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (9) Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: (10) But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. (11) For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

I humbly conceive, that the wisdom here spoken of means Christ, and his graces. For Christ is the wisdom of God, as well as the power of God, for salvation to everyone that believeth, 1 Corinthians 1:24. And Christ is made of God to all his people, wisdom as well as righteousness; and sanctification as well as redemption, 1 Corinthians 1:30. And as this verse follows immediately after what the Apostle had said, of taking joy in the exercises of temptation, the direction here of asking God for Christ and his strength seems to be with an express eye, to those seasons of temptation, And in this sense, this precept, blended, as it is, with so sweet and sure a promise, is uncommonly beautiful and striking. Let him ask Christ, for Christ is God's gift, and God is both engaged by his Covenant promises, and Christ by his oneness and interest with his people, to be the strength of his people, and their portion forever. Reader! pause a moment over this view, for it is blessed; yea, very blessed. God's faithfulness, in his Covenant promises, is engaged to all this. We are commanded, to count it all joy, when we fall into divers temptations. A plain, and positive assurance therefore, that the end of all trials must be blessed. Well, then, it follows, that if a child of God is to rejoice in the trial, it must be from the love of God that he is brought into it. God manifests his love, in bringing his dear ones to the trial. God manifests his love, in carrying them through it, Christ, the wisdom of God, is sure to be with them, in every part of it. And God's glory and his child's happiness must be the final result to bring out of it. So that God is glorified; Christ is honored; Satan subdued; and the child of God brought into a conformity to Christ's image; and made more than conqueror through Him, whose strength is perfected, in his people's weakness. Reader! behold, where wisdom and strength is, and conscious of a daily need of Christ, as we need our daily bread; let us seek grace to seek Christ, and we shall then be able, with the Apostle, upon every occasion of trial, to sing the same song; Now thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ! 2 Corinthians 2:14

But let him ask in faith. Yes! it is a blessed thing, when from the grace of faith from the Lord, we are enabled to go boldly to the Lord. And surely, every regenerated child, of God may find confidence in that grace, to seek grace. Could we always keep in remembrance past mercies, they would never fail to beget the desire for new ones. Even among men, old friends, and long proved friends, furnish confidence. And shall a child of God go to Jesus in bondage-frames, doubting, fearing, and questioning, whether he shall succeed? A double minded man! what a foolish character, to say no worse of it. Not so, the Patriarchs, and holy men of old, They staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but were strong in faith, giving glory to God. And there have been champions of faith in later times, in this our own nation. One of them used to say, that "God's A men, and Christ's verily, with God the Spirit's seal; were more sure, than all the oaths of all the great men of the earth. Reader! do not forget; however, faith is God's gift, not man's merit, Philippians 1:29

I do not think it necessary to dwell on these verses, concerning the brother, either of high, or low degree. The doctrine is too plain to need a comment. Whether considered in a temporal, or spiritual sense, the Lord's appointments to the Lord's people, both in providence, and grace, are all blessed, when the renewed heart is enabled to discern things spiritually. The humble circumstances of the poor, gracious man, in the common wants of nature, are all sweetened, when the Lord's hand is seen in the appointment. The Lord cannot err, cannot be mistaken, in his ordinations. And there are numberless promises in the word of God, which would have no scope for exercise, if the Lord's people were not. Sometimes shut up, and straitened, in poverty of pocket, as well as mind. See a few: Job 5:19; Psalms 107:19; Isaiah 33:16; Romans 8:28. And, in relation to spiritual concerns; if there were no dark and cloudy days, but a perpetual sunshine, all those rich clusters of promises, in which thee Lord engageth to be with his people in darkness, would be done away; neither would the child of God be able to gather them, if seasons peculiarly suited to time of gathering never came. Yea, a child of God hath found, to his great joy, when the afflicting dispensation hath passed, the blessedness even of the Lord's withdrawing, in the after returns of increased manifestations, that, as the Lord hath said himself: For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment: but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. Let the Reader turn to the sweet portion, and read it himself, Isaiah 54:4 to the end.