Having taught him these blessed truths, the Lord tested him as to how far he would venture upon them. While in such sore need of money for the orphan work, he had in the bank some two hundred and twenty pounds, intrusted to him for other purposes. He might _use this money for the time at least,_ and so relieve the present distress. The temptation was the stronger so to do, because he knew the donors and knew them to be liberal supporters of the orphans; and he had only to explain to them the straits he was in and they would gladly consent to any appropriation of their gift that he might see best! Most men would have cut that Gordian knot of perplexity without hesitation. Not so George Muller. He saw at once that this would be _finding a way of his own out of difficulty, instead of waiting on the Lord for deliverance._ Moreover, he also saw that it would be _forming a habit of trusting to such expedients of his own, which in other trials would lead to a similar course and so hinder the growth of faith._ We use italics here because here is revealed one of the _tests_ by which this man of faith, was proven; and we see how he kept consistently and persistently to the one great purpose of his life--to demonstrate to all men that to _rest solely on I the promise of a faithful God_ is the only way to know for one's self and prove to others, His faithfulness. At this time of need--the type of many others--this man who had determined to risk everything upon God's word of promise, turned from doubtful devices and questionable methods of relief to _pleading with God._ And it may be well to mark his _manner_ of pleading. He used _argument_ in prayer, and at this time he piles up _eleven reasons_ why God should and would send help. This method of _holy argument_--ordering our cause before God, as an advocate would plead before a judge--is not only almost a lost art, but to many it actually seems almost puerile. And yet it is abundantly taught and exemplified in Scripture. Abraham in his plea for Sodom is the first great example of it. Moses excelled in this art, in many crises interceding in behalf of the people with consummate skill, marshalling arguments as a general-in-chief marshals battalions. Elijah on Carmel is a striking example of power in this special pleading. What holy zeal and jealousy for God! It is probable that if we had fuller records we should find that all pleaders with God, like Noah, Job, Samuel, David, Daniel, Jeremiah, Paul, and James, have used the same method.