They made the temple, which should have been an eminent mean of holiness and humility, subservient to their pride. The carnal Jews brought God's Messiah to the touchstone of their ambition. They expected a mighty prince to deliver them from the Roman yoke, more galling to them than the yoke of sin, and when Christ appeared they were offended on account of his poverty and meanness.

The tried and exercised believer in proving God brings him to a touchstone different indeed, and which God himself approves, namely, Divine revelation. This alone is his ground of hope, and if God act agreeably to his word, his people can have no reason to complain. In proving God by his word, it is necessary that the saint know what it is, that he may ascertain if God, in his case, acts agreeably to it.

The saint proves God by the various parts of his word. The great design of the whole is to proclaim his mercy to sinners through Christ. Mercy is his darling attribute, and is over all his other works. In proving God the Christian considers with satisfaction the boundless nature of his mercy set before him in the Scriptures, the astonishing wonders it has done to procure egress to itself, and the amazing effects after it has actually vented through the Redeemer. He considers God's own account of himself, that he is love; that his thoughts of mercy are higher than our thoughts as the heavens are higher than the earth; that his mercy endureth for ever; and he cries with the Church, Micah vii. 18, "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by

the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." Proving God by his mercy, the believer places his own misery beside it. Some humane persons need only an opportunity of doing good, and the sight of a miserable object draws out bowels of compassion. It is eminently so with God, therefore the saint says, as in Psal. xxv. 18, "Look upon mine affliction, and my pain, and forgive all my sins," or, as in Psal. xxxi. 9, “Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly."

In bringing God to the touchstone of his mercy, faith instead of being alarmed at his justice, rejoices in it as satisfied, and in the interest of the sinner, and makes it a part of the touchstone. The believer approves of the glorious substitution of Christ, and takes his standing on the sea of glass. He insists with God to deal with him as in Christ, in whom he is well pleased, and in whom there is no iniquity in Jacob. Discovering God in Christ, he sees him to be a JUST God and a SAVIOUR, and just in justifying the ungodly. He sees that justice has received such satisfaction that, instead of having any claim upon the sinner who believes on Christ, it must and will see all the purchased blessings bestowed.

As in the word itself, so in the exercise of proving God, the promises hold a distinguished place. Discovering the good in the promises, and the faithfulness of them, the saint embraces them with his whole heart. He considers his own wants, and brings them to the promise, insisting upon supply for them all.

Proving God consists greatly in insisting that he would do as he has said, and crying, Hast thou not said, and wilt thou not do? and I will not let thee go except thou bless me. Remote from every eye, the poor believer uses a freedom with God about his promises, which he could not use with any fellowcreature. He wrestles with him, pours out his heart before him, and gives him no rest. As his necessities daily recur, he applies to the promises, puts God in mind of them, and proves him about the accomplishment. When reduced to the greatest extremity, he doubles his diligence in prayer.

Were it not for Satan and unbelief, God's word would never be called in question; but as these call him a liar, he has taken every method for the confirmation of it. He has ratified his promises with an an oath. This gives his people, when proving him, ground of strong consolation. They consider that an holy person, though weak, would do much rather than break his oath, and that the very sight and recollection of it, with every honest man, would awaken the highest endeavour to make him neither act short of it, nor contrary to it. Among men an oath is the highest security that can be given. If we believe them when they swear, much more may such a testimony emitted by God be depended upon. When he swears, well may every person believe. He swears for himself. He pledges as it were his godhead to make good what he has promised. Considering all this, believers exclaim, What will not an almighty, and infinitely holy God do rather than break his oath! He will not only open windows in

heaven that he may keep it; but heaven and earth shall pass away before he break it!

The believer also proves God by his known conduct, and what he has formerly done. He remembers the years of the right-hand of the Most High. For this, among other reasons, his wonderful works are recorded. He insists that God would do to him as he has done to others, and cries in the language of the prophet, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which dried the sea, the waters of the great deep, that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?" (Isaiah li. 9, 10.) He' dwells upon the great interpositions of God in behalf of his people when they were in the utmost distress. These inform him what God can do and has done, encourage him as to what he may expect, and incite him to prove him in prayer. He urges that now, as formerly, in the mount of the Lord it may be seen. These great deliverances have been a most comforting touchstone to the saints in every age, and have been transmitted by them to succeeding generations, as an unfailing source of comfort in all their trials.

2. In proving God we bring in every circumstance which tends to make the trial decisive. This is well known among men. Proving one another about a matter of importance, every thing which appears to be of any weight is collected. Proving God about the blessing, the saints follow the same course. It is astonishing to hear the eloquence and fluency of

many poor persons when engaged in this exercise, who can scarcely open their mouths on any other subject. This is owing to the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit helping their infirmities, and to the ingenuity of faith, which is quick-sighted, full of invention, and scarcely lets any thing escape its notice which would be advantageous. An instance of this we have in the Syrophenician woman: when Christ was silent, instead of giving up her plea, she drew nearer, and urged it with more importunity. When he intimated that the children's meat should not be given to dogs, her faith discovered a plea even in this title--if the children were entitled to meat, the dogs had a right to the crumbs.

In proving God, the saints urge the free manner in which the promises were made. They plead that if God, without any solicitation, moved by nothing without himself, but only by his own grace and good will, made the promises; their guilt and pollution, which he well foresaw, can be no obstruction to their accomplishment.

They urge likewise Divine power. In proving a person about what he has said, his ability to accomplish is of great weight. They are persuaded that God is able to do as he has said, and that whatever their case be, nothing is too hard with him, who is almighty. God proved Abraham's faith when he called him to offer up Isaac, and he proved God's faithfulness and ability, when he bound his only sonthe son of the promise, and was about to strike the fatal blow. Persuaded that God could raise him up