Letter To A Brother In Christ – October 16th, 1832

October 16th, 1832

My dear Brother,

Tomorrow morning I am going to visit an intimate friend a few miles from hence, who is to drive me to Cheltenham to preach there on Thursday evening. We are engaged to dine with Dr. Foot, a physician there, who is “a speckled bird” like yourself. Cheltenham is a place of great profession; there is one chapel that will admit men of truth, in which I am to preach; and I am to preach at the town of Fairford on the Friday evening, on my return. On Saturday I hope to return safely to preach in my own chapel on Sunday, and on Monday I am to go into Wiltshire, where I am engaged to preach on that evening, and on the four following evenings, in different chapels. On Sunday next week I am to preach at Trowbridge for Warburton, and on my return, at Devises, etc. I have to seek no places to preach in, but have to refuse many invitations. Two weeks ago I preached in a barn. It was at Stratton, about twenty-eight miles from hence, and I did not please them all. I preached morning and evening in the barn, and in the afternoon in a chapel at another village, and someone threw a stone into the chapel through the window, close behind the pulpit; but I escaped, for it hit the window-frame.

Lately I have preached a good deal, and have had very large congregations, and my own chapel as yet continues to be crowded. I think, nevertheless, I am liked better here than at Oakham. Many wait for my halting, and if God were to let me or any of my set fall, it would be a good feast for the Pharisees; for God says, “They eat up My people’s sins as if they eat bread,” but may the Lord keep us humble, crying out, “Hold us up, and we shall be safe.”

From the various accounts I receive from you, I am encouraged to believe that there is a small band in Oakham “whose hearts God has touched;” there is opposition to you, and will be more so when you are more united. I am daily more fully convinced that there is no religion where there is no persecution.

Where Christ is, the devil will roar, and raise all the opposition in

his power. Christ says, “They have hated Me, and they will hate you also.” Many have a religion now that costs them nothing; but Christ says, “Count the cost.” “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Many find that religion works well with their temporal affairs, and through their religion they thrive and prosper. And many a minister after the flesh may bless God for sending His Son into the world, for they have taken His name in their mouths, and have made Him a stalking-horse to get more of this world’s goods, and to enjoy them by Him; some riding in their carriages, and crying out on Sundays, “We must walk in Christ’s steps.” They cannot say of themselves, “Jesus, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well.” It will be, alas! “You in your lifetime received your good things.”

What a mercy it is to have a testimony from the Lord in being counted worthy to suffer loss and shame for His name. There must be power in true religion, and it will cause a change in a man’s life and conversation. He will be brought from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God.

Paul says, “If any man has not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His.” The shortest way of entering into a man’s religion is to ask him whether he has the Spirit of Christ, and if he says, “Yes,” then ask him what the Spirit of God has done for him, what change it has wrought, etc. If he can give a good scriptural account, you will say, “I have met with a brave companion;” if he evades questioning, you can tell him you would not be in his place for a thousand worlds.

The Lord giving you grace to set your faces against Satan’s ministers will make their master very malicious and spiteful; for nothing displeases Satan so much as when you show contempt for his ministers, for they are his strongholds. Our very nature that partakes of his spirit joins with him, and the world is manifestly on the same side; consequently, any one who “takes heed what he hears” must suffer reproach. If I go to hear a minister, I want to know who that are spiritually-minded sit under him. If I can find none of the sheep of Christ, I am sure that the minister is not a shepherd. But God will, by His grace, bring out His people from such ministers as you have at Oakham by bringing home to their minds the following texts—”Why do you seek the living among the dead?” “What are you doing here, Elijah?” “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.” And again, “Come out from among them, and be separate.”

When God has applied such texts with power to the heart, so that they have not received them as the word of man, but as the word of God, which effectually works in those who believe, neither friends nor relatives, neither good customers, neither good masters nor good mistresses, can make them hold up the hands of false prophets, for God has spoken unto them, and where there is the voice of a King there is power. “Believe not every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they be of God.”

Since I wrote the above, I have had a very pleasing young man to see me, from Oxford, to ask me to preach for them there on Sunday next, which I intend (God willing) to do between my services; for they are there without a preacher. It is lamentable to think how many are crying out for the bread of life in various large towns, and there are scarcely any ministers to give unto them a portion in season (Amos 8:11, 12). It is a great mercy to have a desire given to us for the sincere milk of the word. It is of God’s grace if we differ from the gay and foolish multitude around us!

I want to know more of what the Lord is doing for your souls at Oakham; how you are tried in your minds, whether you are really partakers of grace, and have the root in you; and what testimony you have that you shall continue to the end.

Yours very affectionately,

William Tiptaft