Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

² Now then seeing it has been set forth what we ought to do, let us see what we are to receive. For He has appointed a work, and promised a reward. What is the work? “If you shall continue in Me.” A short work; short in description, great in execution. “If you shall build on the Rock.” O how great a thing is this, Brethren, to build on the Rock, how great is it! “The floods came, the winds blew, the rain descended, and beat upon that house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.” What then is to continue in the word of God, but not to yield to any temptations?

The reward, what is it? “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall free you.” Bear with me, for you perceive that my voice is feeble; assist me by your calm attention. Glorious reward! “You shall know the truth.” Here one may haply say, “And what does it profit me to know the truth?” “And the truth shall free you.” If the truth have no charms for you, let freedom have its charms. In the usage of the Latin tongue, the expression, “to be free,” is used in two senses; and chiefly we are accustomed to hear this word in this sense, that whosoever is free may be understood to escape some danger, to be rid of some embarrassment.

But the proper signification of “to be free,” is “to be made free;” just as “to be saved,” is “to be made safe;” “to be healed,” is, “to be made whole;” so “to be freed,” is “to be made free.” Therefore I said, “If the truth have no charms for you, let freedom have its charms.” This is expressed more evidently in the Greek language, nor can it be there understood in any other sense. And that you may know that in no other sense can it be understood; when the Lord spoke, the Jews answered, “We were never in bondage to any man; how do you say the Truth shall free you?” That is, “the Truth shall make you free,” how do you say to us, who were never in bondage to any man? “How,” say they, “do You promise them freedom, who as You see never bare the hard yoke of bondage?”