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  LETTER 145.
  by James Bourne
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Summary: The sermon encourages the listener to trust in God's holy Name
and to rejoice in Him, even in times of suffering and discipline.

Topics: "Repentance", "Faithfulness"
Scripture References: Job 42:6, Psalm 33:18, Proverbs 3:5, Isaiah 43:1, Ezekiel 20:37

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DESCRIPTION
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James Bourne, in a letter to Mrs. Jones, emphasizes the importance of
heeding the Lord's admonition and not allowing unbelief to weigh down
one's spiritual light. He encourages Mrs. Jones to call upon God and not
remain in a state of spiritual slumber, highlighting the need to fully
repent and surrender to God's mercy. Bourne reminds her that through
repentance and submission to God's chastening, one can experience the
purging of unbelief and find true light and gladness in Christ Jesus. He
concludes by urging her to fear the Lord, trust in His mercy, and
rejoice in Him for delivering and sustaining those who hope in Him.

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CONTENT
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Pulverbach, 24 July 1838.

Dear Mrs. Jones,

Your letter has been a source of comfort and satisfaction to me, as I
felt assured there was a need for that heaviness you laboured under.
Your mercy has been to have an ear to hear the admonition of the Lord,
and that notwithstanding your backsliding heart you were not suffered to
abide under that load of unbelief which bore down all your spiritual
light and understanding. The Lord graciously said to you, "Dost thou
believe on the Son of God?" Then why all this load and heaviness that
you have carried so long? Is it not a folding of your hands to sleep?
Why not arise and call upon your God, that you perish not? Do not you
perceive that the kind caution only half awoke you, and therefore he
suffered the enemy to come in like a flood; and that the admonition not
being fully laid to heart, the chastening rod was sent? But you, by the
mercy of God, were enabled to kiss it, and to stoop under it, and
confess your treacherous dealing towards the best of friends.

It was your mercy that he caused you to pass under the rod (as Ezekiel
says) and not to despise it or leave it unnoticed; for when you found
grace to stoop under it, then the Lord revealed his covenant mercy to
you in Christ Jesus, and all contention ceased, and unbelief, the worst
of rebels, was purged out; and then, not till then, could you loathe
yourself and repent in dust and ashes. Here it is that "light is sown
for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart;" and this
heavenly light diffuses itself in the word, and everything we read now
seems spoken in loving-kindness and tender mercy to us.

You know now what the Lord means by gathering "the waters of the sea
together as an heap;" and laying up "the depth in storehouses."
Therefore fear the Lord; for his eye "is upon them that fear him, and
upon them that hope in his mercy;" (and never more forget what follows)
"to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine."
You have lately suffered this famine; and if his eye had not been upon
you, you could never have returned in the over of his Spirit. Therefore
"our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy
Name." Praise ye the Lord. [Psalm xxxiii.]

Yours very affectionately in the Lord, J. B.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/james-bourne/letter-145/
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