Final Chapters and Final Thoughts

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The Bruised Reed (TBR) has been on my “to read” list for many years and I’m glad to have finally read it. I have profited greatly by doing so. With that said, I know there is so much I missed along the way, and much I failed to convey in my chapter summaries. But like any good book, I'm sure a reread would open new vistas of understanding. Perhaps I will do that someday. But for now, here are a few of my highlights from the final two chapters. One recurring theme that I found particularly encouraging in TBR was a long view of Christian growth and sanctification. Sibbes repeatedly reminds us of small beginnings and growth over time. See a flame in a spark, a tree in a seed. See great things in little beginnings. Look not so much to the beginning as to the perfection, and so we shall be, in some degree, joyful in ourselves, and thankful to Christ.[i] Another thing I appreciate about Sibbes is that, although he recognizes our frailty, sin, and weakness, there is no coddling of sin. He...
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The Least Spark

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I am pressed for time today so I offer without comment some of my favorite quotes from Chapter four of The Bruised Reed.

THE LEAST SPARK OF GRACE IS PRECIOUS…
He quenched not that little light in Peter, which was smothered: Peter denied him, but he denied not Peter (Luke 22:61) …
In the seven churches (Rev. 2 and 3), we see that Christ acknowledges and cherishes anything that was good in them…[1]

When blindness and boldness, ignorance and arrogance, weakness and willfulness, meet together in men, it renders them odious to God, burdensome in society, dangerous in their counsels, disturbers of better purposes, intractable and incapable of better direction, miserable in the issue. Where Christ shows his gracious power in weakness, he does it by letting men understand themselves so far as to breed humility, and magnify God's love to such as they are.[2]


_____________________

[1] The Bruised Reed (p. 22). Kindle Edition.
[2] The Bruised Reed (pp. 24-25). Kindle Edition.






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