The Doctrine of Repentance

by Thomas Watson

3. A third means conducible to repentance, is, a settled determination to leave sin; not a faint velleity,26 but a resolved vow, Psal. 119:106. I have sworn that I will keep thy righteous judgements. All the delights and artifices of sin shall not make me forsworn. There must be no hesitation, no consulting with flesh and blood; had I best leave my sin or no? But as Ephraim, Hos. 14:8. What have I to do any more with idols? I will be gulled no more by my sins, no longer fool’d by Satan; this day I will put a bill of divorce into the hands of my lusts. Till we come to this peremptory resolution, sin will get ground of us, and we shall never be able to shake off this viper. No wonder if he be conquered by sin, who is not resolved to be an enemy to it. But this resolution must be built upon the strength of Christ more than our own; it must be a humble resolution. As David when he went against Goliath, he put off his presumptuous confidence, as well as his armour, 1 Sam. 17:45. I come to thee in the name of the Lord. So we must go out against our Goliath lusts in the strength of Christ. ‘Tis usual for a person to join another in the bond with