1. The testimony of Jesus that it was necessary man should feel the want, in order to exercise the love.
Jesus uniformly speaks of it as being necessary that, previously to accepting him as a Saviour, the soul should feel the need of salvation. He does not even invite the thoughtless sinner, or the Godless worldling, who has no sense of the evil or the guilt of sin, to come to him. Said Jesus, ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ ‘They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.’ ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.’ ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.’ Thus, the points which have been shown to be necessary, from the constitution of things, in order to the soul’s loving God, are presented in the same light by Jesus himself; and upon the principle which they involve, he acted during his ministry.