Free!

(Joseph Philpot, "Genuine Discipleship" 1843)

"If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
     John 8:36

To be made free implies a liberty from the WORLD
and the spirit of covetousness in the heart. If we
were to follow into their shops some who talk much
of 'gospel liberty', we might find that the world's
fetter had not been struck off their heart; that they
had a 'golden' chain, though invisible to their own
eyes, very closely wrapped round their heart.

And there is a being made free from the power of SIN.
I greatly fear, if we could follow into their holes and
corners, and secret chambers many who prattle about
gospel liberty, we would find that sin had not yet lost
its hold upon them, that there was some secret or open
sin that entangled them, that there was . . .
  some lust,
  some passion,
  some evil temper,
  some wretched pride or other,
that wound its fetters very close round their heart.

And also there is a being made free from SELF . . .
  proud self,
  presumptuous self,
  self exalting self,
  flesh pleasing self,
  hypocritical self,
  self in all its various shapes and turns,
  self in all its crooked hypocrisy and windings.

"If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."