The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes Review: Worth Reading?

Note: you can purchase the book here on Amazon (affiliate link)

If you’re not sure where to start with the Puritans, Richard Sibbes’ ‘The Bruised Reed’ is the book I now recommend to everybody.

Recently, I’ve been trying to read more dead guys like the Reformers and Puritans. And after reading this alongside my Homegrown Theologian students last month, I have to say – it was fantastic.

If you think the Puritans are cold and austere, think again. This book definitely throws that stereotype out the window.

Richard Sibbes, an Anglican Puritan (which may be an oxymoron depending on how much you know your Puritan history), is so warm and pastoral yet firm on doctrine. I’m yet to find a modern author who does this as well as the Puritans, especially in this book.

So today, I’m going to step you through a summary of this timeless work, including:

• What the bruised reed and smoking flax imagery actually means
• Why weakness in the Christian life isn’t cause for despair
• How to stir up good works despite feeling inadequate
• The surprising reality of suffering and victory in the kingdom
• Whether the original English is too difficult to read

Let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

• The Structure: Three Movements of Grace
• Understanding the Bruised Reed & Smoking Flax
• Strength in Christ Alone
• God is Already Pleased
• The Contrast: Believers vs. Unbelievers
• Stirring Up Good Works Despite Lacking Assurance
• The Presence of Heavenly Fire
• Suffering is Comfort for Victory
• Is the Original English Too Difficult?
• The Final Word

The Structure: Three Movements of Grace

The book can be broken up into three distinct sections, each building on the last.

The first section offers comfort for the weak Christian and establishes the reality of salvation being the center of our lives, even as we walk in grace. It starts from that foundational place of assurance before moving forward.

The second section addresses how to act despite the weakness we may feel in the Christian life. It deals with stirring up good works and living practically in light of God’s grace.

The third section is probably the most encouraging and energizing part of the book. It focuses on living in light of the victory we have in Christ. Even if we feel like things are not going well in the church or in our lives, the reality is it’s all going to work out fine.

In fact, when we feel like things are heading in the wrong direction, that’s when they may actually be heading in the right direction.

If you’re looking for a rich yet still pretty short read, I’d really encourage you to check this out.

Understanding the Bruised Reed & Smoking Flax

This book is mostly an exposition of Isaiah 42:3, which is then quoted again in Matthew 12:20 by our Lord Jesus Christ: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoking flax he will not quench.”

But what exactly is a bruised reed or smoking flax?

A bruised reed is like a piece of marsh grass – nearly broken and seemingly useless. You couldn’t use it to turn it into any sort of device or physical thing. It would just be trampled underfoot.

A smoking flax (also called a smoldering wick in some translations) is a lamp wick or candle flickering, about to go out.

Both of these images represent us as Christians who are weak, fragile, nearly defeated – the wounded, the discouraged, the vulnerable people in the Christian life. That’s all of us. Even if we feel like we’re strong (something I fall into the habit of thinking too often), we are all wounded, discouraged, and vulnerable.

This book addresses Christians who feel like their remaining corruption is causing them to doubt their faith. But the good news is we’re reminded that Christ doesn’t give up.

Strength in Christ Alone

One of the great quotes from the book captures this beautifully:

“Since the fall, all our strength lies in him, as Samson’s in his hair.”

You’ll see this kind of beautiful allegory and metaphor used throughout not just this book, but the Puritans in general. Another quote I found really encouraging was:

“Weaknesses do not break covenant with God. They do not break the covenant between husband and wife, and shall we make ourselves more pitiful than Christ who makes himself a pattern of love to all other husbands?”

I love the analogy of husband and wife there. Husbands, I’m sure you would agree – you feel like your weaknesses in your marriage, maybe sometimes your wife’s weaknesses, can really discourage and cause difficulty. But that doesn’t break covenant. Nothing ever will.

I found this quote really puts things into perspective when we’re feeling that weakness, especially when Satan likes to use that weakness to cause us to doubt.

God is Already Pleased

Another great part of the book was the reassurance that God is already pleased even if grace is little at first.

Depending on how long you’ve been a Christian, you might not feel as mature or feel the graces are as present in your life as they could be. If so, you might be comparing yourself to other people.

Here’s a fantastic quote from the book:

“What a support to our faith is this, that God the Father, the party offended by our sins, is so well pleased with the work of redemption! And what a comfort is this, that, seeing God’s love rests on Christ, as well pleased in him, we may gather that he is as well pleased with us, if we be in Christ!”

Just think of what God thinks of Christ. If you’re in him, that’s what he thinks of you. He’s already pleased.

We can hear this over and over again, and sometimes it doesn’t really sink in. But then sometimes it’s explained in a way that Sibbes explains it in the book, and it’s just – “wow, how true is that? It’s just so wonderful.”

Another powerful insight:

“After conversion, we need bruising so that reeds may know themselves to be reeds and not oaks. Even reeds need bruising, by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to let us see that we live by mercy.”

That reminder that it’s not our own strength that saved us. God is already pleased because it was his strength. We are redeemed reeds, not redeemed oaks. The weakness isn’t just discouraging in our faith – it’s actually pointing us to that reality that it was God all along.

The Contrast: Believers vs. Unbelievers

I love how the book highlights that God is a Father. He was our judge, but post-salvation he’s a father as adopted sons.

Sibbes contrasts the realities we experience as believers against how unbelievers experience things.

Here’s a great quote: “The wounds of secure sinners will not be healed with sweet words.”

Sinners don’t want salvation. They might be aware of sin, they might be aware of their wounds, but they’re secure. We weren’t secure before Christ. That’s what God uses to draw us to him.

When I read things like this, I can honestly put my hand on my heart and say I desire to grow. I desire to not forget who I am and how I’ve been redeemed by the blood of Christ alone.

And when I remember that and then see the fact that sinners do not desire that – that’s a comforting assurance that we are saved. It also makes us want to help those who, by the grace of God, have not experienced that yet.

Stirring Up Good Works Despite Lacking Assurance

The middle section of the book addresses a critical question: if you’re lacking assurance of your faith, what should you do?

The answer: stirring up good works is the way forward.

The spirit of Christ encourages us to stir up good works. Pardon of our sins will lead to obedience – not might, but will lead to obedience. It will grow fruit. And the weakness we experience in this life does not detract us or keep us from our duty as Christians.

The book paints a wonderful analogy: “Though eating increases a disease, a sick man will still eat so that nature may gain strength against the disease.”

Works are important in the Christian life. They help us gain strength against the disease of sin in our lives, the remaining corruption.

Now sometimes we can start to think these works are doing something good in our lives on their own merit. That’s why the analogy says eating increases a disease – because the works we don’t do perfectly, Satan likes to tempt us and say “see, you’re not really a Christian.”

But the way Sibbes puts it is fantastic.

The Presence of Heavenly Fire

Chapter 6 in particular really dives deep into what Sibbes calls “the presence of the heavenly fire” and how it relates to the activity of the Christian life. Here are the 10 characteristics using this analogy of heavenly fire:

1. The fire comes from heaven in the first place – it’s not of ourselves
2. The fire has heat and produces love and warmth
3. It directs us in the right way – it illuminates our path
4. It separates gold and dross and purifies us
5. It exposes things – probably my favorite. It’s not content with letting false doctrine or false things in theology or the Christian life go unmatched

One of my favorite quotes from the entire book relates to this fifth point:

“Excess of passion in opposing evil though not to be justified yet shows a better spirit than a calm temper where there is just cause of being moved. It is better that the water should run somewhat muddly than not run at all. Job had more grace in his ill-temper than his friends in their seemingly wise demeanor. Actions stained with some defects are more acceptable than empty compliments.”

This is why you need to read the book. Passion in opposing evil is actually encouraged.

It’s better than people who just sort of say, “I’m not going to do anything. Let them do their thing. They have their own way of worshiping. They have their own theology.” No, the fire that we experience is not content with leaving those things as they are.

6. It always remains active in some degree – the fire never goes out
7. It melts the heart to receive new instruction, new wisdom
8. It sets everything on fire – our works aren’t just related to one aspect of the Christian life; it consumes all of our lives
9. It makes sparks fly upwards – grace carries the soul towards heaven. We will continually aim and look heavenward as we burn for Christ in this life
10. As it grows bigger, the flame becomes purer – as a fire gets more oxygen, it gets more pure with less smoke

Suffering is Comfort for Victory

The last few chapters of the book talk about the difficulty of suffering in the Christian life and how it doesn’t necessarily make us feel like we’re going to be victorious.

When churches close, when you have to leave churches because they’ve gone down a poor theological route or abandoned the gospel, when churches are closing because there’s not enough members or finance, when the Christian West is collapsing because our value system is changing – it can feel really discouraging.

Here’s how Sibbes addresses this objection:

“Objection: If this is so, why is it thus with the church of God and with many a gracious Christian? The victory seems to be with the enemy.

To understand this, we should remember firstly that God’s children usually in their troubles overcome by suffering. Here lambs overcome lions and doves, eagles by suffering, that herein they may become conformable to Christ, who conquered most when he suffered most. Together with Christ’s kingdom of patience, there was a kingdom of power.”

Incredible. It’s that backwards kingdom. We do struggle, but that is exactly how he overcame.

And the comfort on the other side of this, another quote:

“What coward would not fight when he is sure of victory? None is he overcome but he that will not fight. Therefore, when any base fainting seizes on us, let us lay the blame where it ought to be laid.”

I would add to that: the enemy.

I’ve felt this in my life where I’ve been discouraged. I would ask things like: “Do I even want to try?”

I’ve been withdrawn from serving the church even if I’ve attended or been a member. But again – what coward would not fight if he is sure of victory?

We are sure of victory. So let’s fight. Let’s fight for the kingdom using the weapons of the kingdom. And keep it up. Don’t stop no matter what happens.

Is the Original English Too Difficult?

If you’re worried about Puritan works being too difficult to read, I have good news.

The original English version (which I read on my Kindle) was fantastic. The original English was quite easy to read and follow compared to other Puritan works I’ve read. I think that’s partially because it comes a little bit later than some of the other Puritan works potentially.

There are some difficult places where the sentences are long and you might have to reread them, but it’s generally a pretty easy read, especially considering it’s a short book.

Maybe a bit slower than a more modern book – that’s how I would put it.

The Final Word

In summary, this book is comforting in grace. It stirs us on to live the Christian life and gives us assurance despite disappointing growth in our lives and in our churches.

I highly recommend it.

Rating: 5/5

This is a book I’ll be returning to again and again. The warmth, the pastoral care, the theological depth combined with practical application – it’s all here. If you want to read dead guys but don’t know where to start, this is your entry point.