Sibbes has a pungent comment; he refers to Peter as a bruised reed, and he adds, “Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly. This reed, till he met with this bruise, had more wind in him than pith.” All this springs out of the basic Puritan theme of the complete sovereignty of God; no man, even though he be regenerate, can keep himself from sin, and if God for any reason withholds is supporting grace, then that man immediately falls. The Puritans realised that this withdrawing of the