The Bruised Reed
Sibbes' best-loved work expounds Isaiah 42:3 (applied to Christ in Matthew 12:20), showing how the gentle Saviour will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax. Written for weak, doubting, and discouraged believers, it magnifies the smallest beginnings of grace and the patience of Christ toward the faltering.
Based on The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax (1630), by Richard Sibbes
Puritan quotes
Quotes by Richard Sibbes
“In pursuing his calling, Christ will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, in which more is meant than spoken, for he will not only not break nor quench, but he will cherish those with whom he so deals.”
“The purest actions of the purest men need Christ to perfume them; and this is his office. When we pray, we need to pray again for Christ to pardon the defects of our prayers.”
“There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.”
“It is better to go bruised to heaven than sound to hell.”
“As the strongest faith may be shaken, so the weakest, where truth is, is so far rooted that it will prevail. Weakness with watchfulness will stand, when strength with too much confidence fails.”
“Who has despised the day of small things? Christ would not have us despise little things.”
“After conversion we need bruising so that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks.”
“Weakness with watchfulness will stand, when strength with too much confidence fails.”
“Nothing is so certain as that which is certain after doubts. Shaking settles and roots.”
“We see in Christ a marvelous temper of absolute holiness, with great moderation.”
