Summary of The Bruised Reed
The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes is a classic work of Puritan literature, written in the early 17th century, that offers a profound and comforting exploration of Christ’s gentle and merciful nature toward those who are spiritually weak or struggling. Drawing from the verse Isaiah 42:3—"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out"—Sibbes crafts a message of hope and encouragement that has resonated with Christians for centuries.
Main Themes and Structure
Sibbes organizes his treatise around the powerful metaphors of a "bruised reed" and a "smoldering wick," which symbolize believers who feel broken, frail, or overwhelmed by sin, doubt, or affliction. The book unfolds in a logical progression, addressing the condition of the spiritually weak, Christ’s compassionate response, and the practical implications for both individuals and the church.
- The Condition of the Bruised Reed and Smoldering Wick
Sibbes begins by describing the "bruised reed" as someone acutely aware of their imperfections—perhaps weighed down by sin, tempted to despair, or feeling spiritually inadequate. The "smoldering wick" complements this image, representing a faith that flickers weakly, barely holding on. He contrasts these humble, broken individuals with the self-righteous, who remain blind to their need for grace. This section establishes the audience Sibbes seeks to comfort: those who recognize their frailty and yearn for restoration. - Christ’s Gentle Response
The heart of the book lies in Sibbes’ portrayal of Christ’s tenderness. Far from breaking the bruised reed or extinguishing the smoldering wick, Christ binds up the wounded and nurtures the faint spark of faith. Sibbes draws on biblical examples—such as Jesus’ compassion toward the marginalized, like the woman at the well or tax collectors—to illustrate this divine gentleness. He emphasizes that Christ’s power is magnified in human weakness and that even the smallest measure of faith is precious in His sight. This assurance underscores the idea that Christ is glorified more in overcoming our frailties than in our strengths. - Practical Encouragement and Application
In the final part, Sibbes turns to the reader with pastoral warmth, urging those who feel like bruised reeds to come to Christ with confidence, trusting in His promises and relying on His strength. He reassures believers that no one is beyond the reach of Christ’s mercy. Additionally, Sibbes extends his message to the church, calling it to reflect Christ’s compassion by supporting and uplifting the weary and heavy-laden rather than judging them. This dual focus makes the book both a personal comfort and a guide for Christian community.
Key Messages
- Christ’s Boundless Mercy: Sibbes repeatedly affirms that Christ does not discard the weak but restores them with love and grace, offering hope to even the most despairing soul.
- The Value of Weakness: He argues that our frailties provide opportunities for Christ’s power to shine, flipping the worldly notion that strength alone honors God.
- A Call to Perseverance and Compassion: Readers are encouraged to persevere in faith despite their struggles, while the church is challenged to emulate Christ’s nurturing spirit.
Historical Context
As a prominent Puritan preacher, Richard Sibbes wrote "The Bruised Reed" during a time when spiritual rigor and introspection were central to Puritan life. His warm, eloquent prose and pastoral tone set this work apart, making it a beloved resource for both individual believers and church leaders. Over the centuries, it has remained a timeless source of comfort, particularly for those seeking guidance on ministering to the brokenhearted or finding solace in their own spiritual struggles.
The Bruised Reed: In Modern English
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Chapter #1: The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory." (Matt. 12:20)
The Prophet Isaiah, inspired and carried by the spirit of prophecy, looks beyond his own time to the coming of Jesus Christ in human form. With the eyes of prophecy and faith, he sees Christ as if He is already present and presents Him to others with spiritual insight, using the words, "Behold my servant whom I have chosen," and so on. This passage is cited by Saint Matthew as being fulfilled in Christ. Here, it is presented:
1. First, the calling of Christ to His office:
2. Secondly, the execution of it.
Christ’s Calling
God calls him here his righteous servant. Christ was God's servant in the greatest act of service ever; a chosen and special servant. He did and suffered everything by the Father's command. This shows us God's sweet love for us, as he considers the work of our salvation through Christ his greatest service. And he was willing to have his only beloved Son do that service. The word "Behold" is used to elevate our thoughts to the highest level of attention and admiration. During times of temptation, troubled consciences focus so much on their current troubles that they need to be awakened to see him in whom they can find rest for their troubled souls. In temptations, it is safest to focus only on Christ, the true bronze serpent, the true Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). This saving focus brings special comfort to the soul, especially if we not only look at Christ but also see the Father's authority and love in him. For in all that Christ did and suffered as Mediator, we must see God in him reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19).
What a support to our faith this is: that God the Father, the one offended by our sins, is so pleased with the work of redemption. And what a comfort it is that since God's love rests on Christ, being pleased with him, we can understand that he is also pleased with us if we are in Christ. For his love rests on the whole Christ, both Christ as the head and Christ as the body, because he loves him and us with the same love. Let us therefore embrace Christ, and in him, God's love, and build our faith securely on such a Savior, who is given such a high commission.
See here (for our comfort) a wonderful agreement of all three persons: the Father gives a mission to Christ, the Spirit equips and sanctifies for it, and Christ himself carries out the role of a Mediator. Our redemption is based on the united agreement of all three persons of the Trinity.
How Christ Pursues His Mission
It is described here as being humble, without making a big show or causing a scene like princes usually do: [his voice shall not be heard]. His voice was indeed heard, but what kind of voice? "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden," he called out, but how? "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come," and so on. Just as his arrival was humble, it was also gentle, as described in these words: "A bruised reed shall he not break," and so on. In this, we can notice three things.
1. First, the condition of those that Christ had to deal with:
- They were bruised reeds.
- Smoking flax.
2. Secondly, Christ's behavior towards them: he did not break the bruised reed, nor put out the smoking flax. More is meant than just what is said; for he will not only refrain from breaking the bruised reed or putting out the smoking flax, but he will also nurture them.
3. Thirdly, let's talk about the consistency and growth of His gentle care until judgment leads to victory. This means until the holy grace that started in their hearts is perfected and overcomes all opposing sin. First, the people He dealt with were like bruised reeds and smoldering wicks—not strong trees, but fragile reeds, and not whole, but bruised. The Church is compared to weak things: a dove among birds, a vine among plants, sheep among animals, and a woman, which is considered the weaker vessel. Here, God's children are compared to bruised reeds and smoldering wicks. First, we'll talk about them as bruised reeds, and then as smoldering wicks. They are bruised reeds before their conversion and often after. Before conversion, everyone (except those raised in the Church, whom God has graciously blessed from childhood) experiences this in different ways, as God sees fit. There are differences based on personality, abilities, lifestyle, and so on, as well as God's plans for their future roles. Usually, He empties them of self-importance and humbles them before using them for significant purposes.
What it is to be Bruised
This bruised reed is a person who is usually in some kind of trouble, like those who came to Christ for help. First, their misery makes them realize that sin is the cause of it; because no matter what excuses sin makes, it always leads to being hurt or broken. Second, they are aware of their sin and misery to the point of being crushed by it. Third, seeing no help in themselves, they are driven by a restless desire to find help from someone else, with a little bit of hope that lifts them towards Christ, even though they don't dare to claim any immediate right to mercy. This small spark of hope is challenged by doubts and fears that come from their own corruption, making them like smoking flax. Together, these two—being a bruised reed and smoking flax—describe the state of a poor, distressed person. Such a person, our Savior Christ calls "poor in spirit" (Matt. 5:3), who recognizes their need and sees themselves as owing a debt to divine justice, with no way to help themselves or find help from others. Because of this, they mourn, and with some hope of mercy from God's promises and examples of others who have received mercy, they are stirred to hunger and thirst for it.
The Good Effects of Bruising
This bruising is needed before conversion so that the Spirit can make its way into our hearts by bringing down all proud and high thoughts. It helps us understand who we truly are by nature. We like to wander away from ourselves and become strangers to our own hearts until God breaks us with one hardship or another. Then, like the prodigal son, we think about our actions and return to our true selves. It's incredibly difficult to bring a stubborn and evasive heart to genuinely cry out for mercy. Our hearts, like criminals, don't cry for the mercy of the judge until they have no other options. This breaking down also makes us value Christ more highly. The Gospel becomes truly meaningful, and the false coverings of morality won't help us. It makes us more thankful, and from that thankfulness, we become more fruitful in our lives. What makes many people so cold and unproductive is that they were never broken for their sins, so God's grace never became precious to them. This way of dealing with us also strengthens us in God's ways, having experienced setbacks and bruises in our own ways. This is often the reason for relapses and falling away because people never truly suffered for their sins at first; they weren't under the discipline of the law long enough. Therefore, this initial work of the Spirit, in bringing down high thoughts, is necessary before conversion. Most of the time, the Holy Spirit adds some affliction to help with conviction, which, when sanctified, has a healing and purifying power.
No, even after conversion, we need to be humbled so that we understand we are like reeds, not strong oaks. Even reeds need to be humbled because of the pride that remains in our nature, to remind us that we live by mercy. This also helps weaker Christians not to be too discouraged when they see stronger ones shaken and humbled. Peter was humbled when he wept bitterly; before this, he was like a reed with more air than substance. He said, "Though all forsake you, I will not," etc (Matt. 26:33).
God's people need these examples. The heroic actions of those great heroes don't comfort the Church as much as their mistakes and struggles do.
David was troubled until he openly confessed without deceit in his heart. In fact, he felt such deep sorrow that it was like the intense pain of having his bones broken (Psalm 51:8). Similarly, Hezekiah complained that God had broken his bones like a lion. The chosen vessel, Paul, needed a messenger of Satan to trouble him so that he wouldn't become too proud.
From this, we learn that we shouldn't judge ourselves or others too harshly when God allows us to go through one hardship after another. We need to be like Christ, who was hurt for us, so we can understand how much we owe Him. People who don't understand God's ways of bringing His children to Heaven often criticize Christians with broken hearts as if they are hopeless, when in fact, God is doing a gracious and good work in them. It's not easy to change a person from their natural state to a state of grace, and then from grace to glory, because our hearts are so stubborn and difficult to change.
Chapter #2: Christ will not break the bruised reed
The second point is that Christ will not break the bruised reed. Doctors, even though they cause their patients pain, do not destroy their natural health but help it recover gradually.
Christ’s Dealings with the Bruised Reed
Surgeons may cut, but they do not remove limbs. A mother with a sick and difficult child will not abandon it. Is there more mercy in us than in God, who gives us the ability to be merciful? To further explain Christ's mercy to all who are like bruised reeds, consider the comforting roles he has taken on, like Husband, Shepherd, Brother, and so on, which he will fulfill completely. If others fulfill their roles by his grace, won't he, who has taken on these roles out of love, do the same?
Consider his names borrowed from the gentlest creatures, like Lamb and Hen, to show his tender care. Think about his very name, Jesus, a Savior, given to him by God. Consider his role, which matches his name, as he is meant to heal the brokenhearted (Isa. 61:1). At his baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon him in the form of a dove to show that he would be a gentle mediator.
Look at the gracious way he performs his roles: as a Prophet, he came with blessings, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," and invited those who doubted themselves, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened." His heart was moved when he saw people like sheep without a shepherd. He never turned away anyone who came to him, though some left on their own. He came to die as a Priest for his enemies. During his life, he taught his disciples a prayer and put prayers to God in their mouths, and his Spirit intercedes in their hearts. Now, he intercedes in heaven for weak Christians, standing between God's anger and them, and he shed tears for those who shed his blood. He is a gentle King who welcomes mourners into his presence, a King of the poor and afflicted. As he has majesty, he also has deep compassion and mercy. He is a Prince of Peace. Why was he tempted? So he could help those who are tempted. What mercy can we not expect from such a gracious Mediator who took on our nature to be merciful? He is a physician skilled in all ailments, especially in healing a broken heart, using the remedy of his own blood to save us from the death we brought upon ourselves through our sins. Does he not have the same compassion in heaven? "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" cried the Head in heaven when the foot was stepped on, on earth. His exaltation has not made him forget his own people. Though he is free from suffering, he is not free from compassion for us. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah will only tear apart those who refuse to let him rule over them. He will not show his strength against those who humble themselves before him.
For Ourselves
What should we learn from this, but to come confidently to the throne of grace with all our troubles? Should our sins discourage us when He is there only for sinners? Are you feeling broken? Take comfort, He is calling you; don't hide your wounds, show everything to Him, don't follow Satan's advice. Go to Christ even if you're trembling (like the poor woman); if we can just touch the hem of His garment, we will be healed and receive a gracious answer. Go confidently to God in our human form; for this reason, He is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone, so we might approach Him boldly. Never be afraid to go to God since we have such a Mediator with Him, who is not only our friend but our brother and husband. The angels were right to proclaim from Heaven, "Behold, we bring you tidings of joy." The Apostle was right to encourage us to rejoice in the Lord again and again; he knew well why he did it: peace and joy are two main fruits of His Kingdom. Let the world be as it will, if we cannot rejoice in the world, yet we may rejoice in the Lord. His presence makes any situation comforting. "Be not afraid," He said to His disciples when they were scared as if they had seen a ghost, "it is I" (John 6:20); as if there were no reason to fear where He is present.
Let this reassure us when we feel broken; Christ's way is to first wound and then heal. No completely whole soul will ever enter heaven. During temptation, think, "Christ was tempted for me; my trials will match my graces and comforts." If Christ is so merciful as not to break me, I will not break myself through despair, nor give myself over to the roaring lion, Satan, to be broken into pieces.
Notice the opposite nature of Christ and Satan, and his followers. Satan attacks us when we are at our weakest, like Simeon and Levi attacked the Shechemites when they were in pain. But Christ will repair all the damage that sin and Satan have caused in us. He heals the brokenhearted, and just as a mother cares most for her sickest and weakest child, Christ mercifully leans towards the weakest. He also gives the weakest things an instinct to rely on something stronger than themselves for support. The vine supports itself on the elm, and the weakest creatures often have the strongest shelters. The awareness of the church's weakness makes her willing to lean on her beloved and to hide herself under his wing.
But how can we tell if we are the kind of people who can expect mercy?
1. By "bruising" here, it doesn't just mean those who are brought low by troubles, but those who are led to see their sin, which hurts the most. When conscience feels the guilt of sin, every judgment seems like a sign of God's anger, and all smaller troubles add to the big trouble of feeling guilty for sin. Just like all bad fluids in the body go to the injured part, and like every creditor goes after a debtor once he's caught, when conscience wakes up, all past sins and current troubles come together to make the pain worse. Now, someone who is bruised like this will be satisfied with nothing but mercy from the one who has bruised him; he has been wounded, and only God can heal him.
2. Also, a truly bruised person sees sin as the greatest evil and God's favor as the greatest good.
3. He would rather hear about mercy than about a kingdom.
4. He has a low opinion of himself and thinks he is not worth the ground he walks on.
5. Towards others, he is not judgmental, being focused on his own issues, but is full of sympathy and compassion for those under God's discipline.
6. He thinks those who walk in the comforts of God's Spirit are the happiest people in the world.
7. He trembles at God's word and honors those who bring peace to him.
8. He is more focused on the inner workings of a broken heart than on outward rituals, yet he is careful to use all holy means to find comfort.
But how can we develop this attitude?
First, we should understand "bruising" as either a situation God puts us in or as something we need to do ourselves. Both are meant here. We must work with God in humbling ourselves; when He humbles us, we should humble ourselves and not resist Him, because if we do, He will continue to discipline us. We should accept Christ's correction, knowing that His actions are meant to bring us back to self-reflection. His work in humbling us is meant to lead us to humble ourselves. We should regret our stubbornness and say, "Lord, what kind of heart do I have that needs all this correction, that none of this could be avoided?" We must confront the hardness of our own hearts and recognize the seriousness of our sins. We should focus on Christ, who was bruised for us, and remember how our sins have hurt Him. But no advice will work unless God, through His Spirit, deeply convinces us, showing us our sins and bringing us to a halt. Then we will seek mercy. Conviction will lead to sorrow for our sins, and this will lead to humility. Therefore, we should ask God to bring a clear and strong light into every part of our souls and accompany it with a spirit of power to humble us.
We can't set an exact amount of time for examining ourselves, but it should be enough for us to value Christ above everything else and realize we need a Savior. Secondly, we should do this until we correct what's wrong, even if it means making difficult sacrifices like cutting off a right hand or pulling out a right eye. There's a dangerous tendency to downplay the importance of feeling remorse for our sins; some people use the excuse that "Christ will not break the bruised reed" to avoid dealing deeply with their own hearts. But they need to understand that a quick scare or brief sadness doesn't make us truly repentant. It's not just about feeling down like a drooping plant, but about working our hearts to feel such sorrow that we find sin more hateful than punishment. We should fight against sin with holy determination; otherwise, by being too easy on ourselves, we leave God to discipline us and bring us to sharp repentance later. I admit it's risky in some situations and for some people to push this self-examination too hard or too long, because they might be overwhelmed before they find healing.
That's why it's good in mixed groups to offer comfort so everyone gets what they need. But if we start with the belief that there's more mercy in Christ than sin in us, then there's no danger in being thorough. It's better to go to heaven bruised than to go to hell feeling fine. So let's not stop examining ourselves too soon or remove the remedy before we're healed, but continue until sin is the most bitter thing and Christ is the sweetest. And when God disciplines us in any way, it's good to redirect our sorrow from other things to the root cause, which is sin. Let our grief focus on that, so just as sin caused grief, grief can help eliminate sin.
But aren't we truly broken unless we feel more sorrow for our sin than for the punishment?
Sometimes our sadness from external troubles can weigh more heavily on our soul than sadness for God's displeasure. This happens because such sadness affects our whole being, both inside and out, and there's often only a small spark of faith to hold onto. This faith can be overwhelmed by the intensity of the trouble, especially in sudden crises that hit us like a flood. This is particularly true in physical illnesses, where the connection between the soul and the body can affect the soul so much that it hinders not only spiritual actions but sometimes even natural ones. That's why James advises us to pray in times of trouble, but in cases of sickness, to call for the elders to pray for us, as they can present the sick person to God in their prayers when the person is unable to do so themselves. God understands the severity and bitterness of our troubles, as seen in David's words in Psalm 6. He knows what we are made of (Psalm 103:14) and remembers that we are just dust, that our strength is not like steel.
It's part of His faithfulness to us as His creations, which is why He is called a faithful Creator. God is faithful and will not let us be tempted beyond what we can handle. There were certain commandments the Jews called the hedges of the Law, meant to prevent cruelty, like not taking a mother bird with her young, not cooking a young goat in its mother's milk, or not muzzling an ox while it treads grain. If God cares for animals, how much more does He care for His more noble creatures? Therefore, we should be understanding of the complaints of God's people that are forced out of them in such situations. Job was considered patient by God despite his passionate complaints. Faith, even if overwhelmed for a time, will regain strength. Grief for sin, although it may not be as intense as grief for suffering, is more enduring, like a steady stream fed by a spring, while a sudden, swelling brook eventually dries up.
To wrap up this point and encourage us to fully embrace being humbled and to be patient when God humbles us, let everyone understand that those who feel the furthest from comfort are actually the most ready for it. Most people don't feel lost enough to truly seek a Savior. A holy despair in ourselves is the foundation of true hope. In God, the fatherless find mercy (Hos. 14:3); if people felt more like orphans, they would experience more of God's fatherly love from heaven. For God, who lives in the highest heavens, also dwells in the lowest soul. Christ's sheep are weak and lacking in one way or another; he therefore meets the needs of each sheep. In Ezekiel 34, he seeks the lost, brings back those who have strayed, binds up the broken, and strengthens the weak. His tenderest care is for the weakest. He carries the lambs in his bosom: "Peter, feed my lambs" (John 21:15).
He was most familiar and open to troubled souls. How careful he was that Peter and the other Apostles should not be too discouraged after his resurrection: "Go tell the disciples, and tell Peter" (Mark 16:7). Christ knew that the guilt of abandoning him had brought them down. How gently he handled Thomas's doubt, even allowing him to put his hand into his side (John 20:27).
Chapter #3: The Smoking Flax
For the second point, God will not put out the smoking flax or wick, but will nurture it until it flames up. In smoking flax, there is only a little light, and it's weak, not able to burn brightly, and this small light is mixed with smoke. The observations from this are, first, that in God's children, especially at the beginning of their conversion, there is only a small amount of grace, and that small amount is mixed with a lot of corruption, which, like smoke, is unpleasant. Secondly, Christ will not put out this smoking flax.
Grace is little at first.
There are different stages in Christians: some are like babies, some are like young adults. Grace is like a mustard seed. Nothing is as small as grace at the beginning, and nothing becomes more glorious later on. Things that reach the highest level of perfection take the longest to grow. Humans, being the most perfect creatures, reach perfection gradually; worthless things, like mushrooms or Jonah's gourd, grow quickly and disappear just as fast. A new creation is the most excellent structure in the world, so it grows step by step. We see in nature that a mighty oak tree grows from an acorn. It's the same with a Christian as it was with Christ, who came from the dead lineage of Jesse, from David's family when it was at its lowest, but He grew higher than the heavens.
It's not like the trees of righteousness were like the trees of Paradise, which were created perfect from the start. The seeds of all creatures in this beautiful world were hidden in the chaos, in that confused mass at the beginning, from which God commanded all creatures to arise. In the small seeds of plants, both size and branches, buds and fruit are hidden. In a few basic principles, all comforting conclusions of holy truth are hidden. All those glorious displays of zeal and holiness in the saints began from a few sparks.
Let's not be discouraged by the small beginnings of grace. Instead, see ourselves as chosen to be blameless and without fault. We should look at our imperfect beginnings only to motivate us to strive for perfection and to keep us humble. Otherwise, if we feel discouraged, we should remember how Christ sees us. He looks at us as those He plans to prepare for Himself. Christ values us for what we will become and for what we are chosen to be. We call a small plant a tree because it is growing to become one. Who despises the day of small things? (Zech. 4:10). Christ doesn't want us to look down on small beginnings.
The glorious angels do not look down on taking care of those who are humble: humble in their own eyes, and humble in the eyes of the world. Grace, even if small in amount, is still strong and valuable.
It is Christ who gives value to small and humble places and people. Bethlehem was the smallest, yet not the least important; small in itself, but not the least because Christ was born there. The second Temple wasn't as outwardly magnificent as the first, yet it was more glorious because Christ entered it. The Lord of the Temple came into His own Temple. The pupil of the eye is very small, yet it can see a large part of the sky at once. A pearl, though small, is highly valued. Nothing in the world is as useful as the smallest amount of grace.
Grace and corruption are intertwined
But grace is not only small, but mixed with corruption; that's why a Christian is described as smoking flax. This shows us that grace doesn't eliminate corruption all at once; some is left to struggle with. Even the purest actions of the purest people need Christ to complete them, and that's his role. When we pray, we need to pray again for Christ to forgive the flaws in our prayers. Here are some examples of this smoking flax. Moses at the Red Sea was in great confusion, not knowing what to say or where to turn, and he groaned to God. No doubt, this was a great struggle for him. In times of great distress, we don't know what to pray for, but the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words (Rom. 8:26). Broken hearts can only offer broken prayers.
When David was in front of the King of Gath and acted in a foolish way, even in that confusion, there was some genuine faith. You can see what a wonderful Psalm he wrote about that experience, Psalm 34. In it, he says from experience in verse 18, "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart" (Ps. 34:18). In Psalm 31:22, he says, "I said in my haste, 'I am cut off from before Your eyes,'" which shows his doubt; yet he adds, "Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications," which shows his faith (Ps. 31:22). The disciples cried, "Master, do you not care that we are perishing?" showing their doubt, but they had enough faith to pray to Christ. "Lord, I believe," shows their faith; "help my unbelief," shows their doubt.
In Jonah 2:4, Jonah cries, "I am cast out of Your sight," which shows despair; yet he says, "I will look again toward Your holy temple," which shows hope.
Oh, what a miserable person I am, says Saint Paul when he feels his own corruption; but he still gives thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 7:24).
The Church in the Song of Solomon says, "I sleep, but my heart is awake" (Song of Solomon 5:2). Among the seven churches, which are called seven golden lampstands because of their light, most of them had a lot of smoke along with their light.
The reason for this mixture is that we have within us two different principles: grace and nature. The purpose of this is mainly to protect us from two dangerous pitfalls that our natures tend to crash into: security and pride. It also compels us to rely on justification rather than sanctification, which, besides being imperfect, has some flaws.
Our spiritual fire is like our regular fire here on earth—it's mixed. But fire is purest in its own element, up above. In the same way, all our virtues will be pure when we are where we want to be, in Heaven, which is our true home. Because of this mix, God's people have different opinions about themselves. Sometimes they focus on the work of grace, and other times on the remaining corruption. When they focus on the corruption, they think they have no grace, even though they love Christ in His teachings and His followers. Yet, they don't feel confident enough to claim a close relationship with Him. Just like a candle in its holder sometimes shows its light and sometimes the light seems to disappear, they are sometimes confident in themselves and sometimes uncertain.
