Nettleton on the conflict between the duty and inability of the unregenerate:
Permit me here to remark, I have not asserted that the sinner is not under obligation to repent previous to regeneration. It is unquestionably the duty of every sinner immediately to repent. We are not considering now what is duty, but what is fact. It is the duty of sinners to do many things which they never have done, and which some of them never will do. It is their duty to stop sinning, and to love God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength. So it is their duty to repent without delay. But they have not done it, and some of them never will.
By this time some of my hearers will perceive a great difficulty in this subject. It is this: ‘If sinners do not repent previous to regeneration, then you call on them to do what it requires almighty power to influence them to do.’ This difficulty is not peculiar to this subject. It runs through the whole system of evangelical truth.
There are many who think they see a great inconsistency in the preaching of ministers. ‘Ministers,’ they say, ‘contradict themselves—they say and unsay—they tell us to do, and then tell us we cannot do—they call upon sinners to believe and repent, and then tell them that faith and repentance are the gift of God—they call on them to come to Christ, and then tell them that they cannot come.’
That some do preach in this manner, cannot be denied. I well recollect an instance. A celebrated preacher, in one of His discourses used this language: ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ In another discourse, this same preacher said: ‘No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him.’ Now, what think you, my hearers, of such preaching, and of such a preacher? What would you have said had you been present and heard Him? Would you have charged Him with contradicting himself? This preacher, you will remember, was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ! And, I have no doubt, that many ministers have followed His example, and been guilty of the same self-contradiction, if you call it such.
Now, my hearers, what will you say? Will you say that the difficulty, so far as it relates to Christ’s preaching, can be easily explained? If it can, it can also be explained in reference to the preaching of others; and there is no cause of complaint. Or will you boldly assert that Christ contradicted himself? If you take this ground, you turn infidels at once. Or, will you say that you believe Christ to be consistent with himself, whether you can explain the difficulty or not? If so, why not say the same in regard to the preaching of His ministers, who preach in the same manner? I wish you to remember, that the difficulty complained of existed in our Saviour’s preaching.
—Bennet Tyler, The Life and Labours of Asahel Nettleton (Banner of Truth, 1975), 215–217.
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