Thomas Watson

On the relationship between a Christian and sin he wrote, "Though sin lives in him, yet he does not live in sin."...The apostle John in the verses cited above [1 John 5:13; 1 John 3:7; 1 John 3:9-10] is making the point that you cannot be a true believer and embrace sin as a way of life.

Harry Schaumburg quoting Thomas Watson on the relationship between a Christian and sin, Undefiled: Redemption from Sexual Sin, Restoration for Broken Relationships, p. 113

Thomas Watson

"It is a vain thing for me, says the sinner, to set upon repentance; my sins are of that magnitude that there is no hope for me"..."Our sins are mountains, and how shall these ever be cast into the sea? Where unbelief represents sin in its bloody colours and God in his judge's robes, the soul would sooner fly from him than to him. This is dangerous. Other sins need mercy, but despair rejects mercy"..."Why should we entertain such hard thoughts of God? He has bowels of love to repenting sinners (Joel 2:13)"..."God's anger is not so hot but mercy can cool it, nor so sharp but mercy can sweeten it. God counts his mercy his glory (Exod. 33:18-19)

Thomas Watson

"Hypocrites grieve only for the bitter consequence of sin"..."Godly sorrow, however, is chiefly for the trespass against God, so that even if there were no conscience to smite, no devil to accuse, no hell to punish, yet the soul would still be grieved because of the prejudice done to God. 'My sin is ever before me' (Psalm 51: 3); David does not say, The sword threatened is ever before me, but 'my sin'. O that I should offend so good a God, that I should grieve my Comforter! This breaks my heart!"

Thomas Watson

"Sorrow for sin must surpass worldly sorrow. We must grieve more for offending God than for the loss of dear relations"..."We are to find as much bitterness in weeping for sin as ever we found sweetness in committing it"..."The Christian has arrived at a sufficient measure of sorrow when the love of sin is purged out."