Marginalia1555. Aprill.way, which leadeth vnto the most ioyfull and pleasaunt Citie of euerlastyng lyfe: let vs not stagger, either turne backe, beyng afrayd of the daungerous & perilous way, but folow our Captaine Iesus Christ in the narow and straite way, and be afrayd of nothyng, no not euen of death it selfe: MarginaliaDeath is a dore to life.for it is he that must lead vs to our iourneyes end, and open vs the doore vnto euerlastyng lyfe.

Consider also the course of this world, how many there bee which for their maisters sake, or for a litle promotions sake, MarginaliaIf worldly men ieopard so much for earthly thinges, how much more ought we to ieopard for euerlasting thinges?would aduenture their lyues in worldly affaires, as commōly in warres, and yet is their reward but light and transitory, and ours is vnspeakable, great and euerlastyng. They suffer paynes to be made Lordes on earth for a short season: how much more ought we to endure lyke paynes (yea peraduenture much lesse) to be made kynges in heauen for euermore? Consider also the wicked of this world, which for a litle pleasures sake, or to be auenged on their enemyes, will fight which sword and weapons, and put them selues in daunger of imprisonment and hangyng. So much as vertue is better thē vice, and God mightyer then the deuill, so much ought we to excell them in this our spirituall battaile.

And seyng brethren, it hath pleased God to set me, and that most worthy minister of Christ, Iohn Bradford, your countreymen in the forefront of this battaile, where (for the tyme) is most daūger, I besech you all in the bowels of Christ to helpe vs and all others our felowsouldiers standyng in lyke perillous place, with your prayers to God for vs, that we may quyte our selues lyke men in the Lord, and geue some example of boldnes and constācie, myngled with pacience in the feare of God, that ye and others our brethren, through our example, may be so encouraged and strengthned to folow vs, that ye also may leaue example to your weake brethrē in the world, to folow you, Amen.

Marginalia2. Tim. 2.Consider what I say: the Lord geue vs vnderstanding in all thinges. Marginalia1. Cor. 7.Brethren the tyme is short: it remayneth that ye vse this world as though ye vsed it not: for the fashion of this worlde vanisheth away. Marginalia1. Iohn.See that ye loue not the world, neither the things that are in the world: but MarginaliaColoß. 3.set your affection on heauenly thinges, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Be meeke, and long suffering, serue & edifie one an other, with the gift that God hath geuen you.MarginaliaDoctrine of good workes. Beware of straūge doctrine: lay aside the old conuersation of gredy lustes, and walke in a new lyfe. Beware of all vncleannes, couetousnes, foolish talking, false doctrine, and dronkennes: Reioyce and be thankfull towardes God, and submit your selues one to an other. Cease from synne, spend no more tyme in vice, be sober & apt to pray, be patient in trouble, loue eche other, and let the glory of God and profite of your neighbour, be the onely marke ye shoote at in all your doinges. Repent ye of the lyfe that is past, and take better heede to your doings hereafter. And aboue althings cleaue ye fast to hym, who was deliuered to death for our synnes, and rose againe for our iustification. To whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and rule for euermore, Amen.

Salute from me in Christ all others, which loue vs in the fayth, and at your discretion make them partakers of these letters: and pray ye all for mee and others in bondes for the Gospell, that the same God (whych by his grace hath called vs from wicked papistry, vnto true christianitie, and now of loue proueth our patience by persecution) wyll of hys mercye and fauour in the ende gloriously deliuer vs, eyther by death, or by lyfe, to hys glory, Amen. At Lancaster the. 30. of August. 1554.

By me an vprofitable seruaunt of
Christ, George Marsh.

¶ To his welbeloued in Christ Ienkin Cramptom, Iames Leyuer, Elice Fogge, Rafe Bradshaw, the wyfe of Richard Bradshaw, Elice Cramptom, and to euery one of them be these deliuered, from Lancaster. G. Marsh.  

Commentary     Close

This letter was first printed in the 1570 edition and did not appear in the Letters of the Martyrs.

THe grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ, and the loue of God, and the felowship of the holy Ghost be with you all, Amen.

After salutations in Christ, & harty thankes for your frendly tokens, and your other remembrances towards me, beseching God that ye may encrease in Marginalia2. Cor. 13.An other letter of George Marsh to certaine of hys frendes.fayth, feare, loue, and all good giftes, and grow vp MarginaliaEphes. 4.into a perfyt man in Christ: these be earnestly to exhort you, yea and to besech you in the tender mercy of Christ, MarginaliaAct. 11.that with purpose of hart ye cōtinually cleaue vnto the Lord, and that ye worship and MarginaliaRom. 1.serue hym in spirite, in the Gospel of his

sonne. MarginaliaColoß. 2.For God wyll not be worshipped after the commaundementes and traditions of men, neyther yet by any other meanes appointed, prescribed, and taught vs, but by hys holy word. And though all men for the most part defile them selues with the wicked traditions of mē and ordinances after the world, and not after Christ: yet do ye after the ensample of MarginaliaTob. 1. Dani. 1. 2. Mach. 1.Tobie, Daniell and hys three companions, Mathathias & hys. v. sonnes, bee at a point with your selues that ye will not be defiled with the vncleane meates of the Heathen, I doe meane the filthynes of idolatry, and the very Heathenishe ceremonies of the papistes: but as true worshippers, MarginaliaIohn. 4.serue ye God in spirite and verity, according to his sacred scriptures: which I would wyshe and wyll you aboue all thinges continually and reuerently (as both MarginaliaIoh. 5. Marginalia1. Timo. 4.S. Paule and Christ do commaund you) to search and read, with the wholesome monitions of the same: to teach, exhort, comfort and edifie one an other, and your brethren and neyghbours, MarginaliaMath. 24.now in tyme of this our miserable captiuitie, and great famishmēt of soules for want of the foode of gods word. And doubt not, but that the mercyfull Lord, who hath promised to be wyth vs euen vnto the worldes end, and that MarginaliaMath. 28.whensoeuer two or thre be gathered together in his name, he wyll be in the myddest of them, wyll assist you, & teach you the right meanings of the sacred scriptures, wyll keepe you from all errours, and lead you into all truth, as he hath faythfully promised.

And though ye thinke your selues vnable to teach, yet at þ^e cōmaundement of Christ now in tyme of famine, the hūgry people being in wildernes farre frō any townes, which if they be sent away fasting are sure to faint and perishe by the way, MarginaliaIohn. 13.employ and bestow those. v. loaues and two fishes that ye haue, vpō that hungry multitude although ye thynke it nothing among so many. And he that increased the. MarginaliaMath. 2.v. loaues and. ij. fishes to feede. v. thousand men, besides wemen and children, shal also augmēt hys gyftes in you, not onely to the edifiyng & wynnyng of others in Christ, but also to an exceding great increase of your knowledge in God and hys holy worde. And feare not your aduersaries: MarginaliaPhil. 1.for eyther according to hys accustomed maner God shal blynde theyr eyes that they shall not espye you, eyther get you fauour in their sight, either els graciously deliuer you out of their hands by one meanes or other.

MarginaliaLessons of Christen maners.Obey with reuerence al your superiours, vnlesse they commaund idolatry or vngodlines. Make prouision for your housholdes, chiefly that they be instructed & taught in the law of God. Loue your wiues euen as your own selues, and as Christ loued the congregation. Loue your chyldren, but rate them not, lest they bee of a desperate mynde: and bring them vp in the nurture and information of the Lorde, and teach them euen as the godly Parentes of MarginaliaTob. 2.Tobie the yoūger, and Susanna dyd teach their children, euen from their infancie to reuerence God according to his law, & to abstayn frō sinne, prouiding that in no wyse they be brought vp in idlenes and wantonnes, seing that ye recken your selues to be the children of God, and looke for the lyfe which God shall geue to thē that neuer turne their belief from hym. MarginaliaTob. 3.See that ye euer feare God, and keepe his commaundementes: & though the plague of God chaūce vnto you, yet remaine ye stedfast in the fayth and feare of God, and thanke hym and serue hym in such holynes and righteousnes as are acceptable before hym all the dayes of your life. Comfort your selues in all your aduersities, & stay your selues in hym, who hath promised not to leaue you as fatherles and motherles chyldren wythout any comfort, but that he wyll come to you lyke a most gentle and mercyfull Lord. He wil continually stand by you in all your troubles, assisting, helping and suckeryng you at all tymes. I will be with you (sayth he) vnto the end of the world. And cleaue you fast vnto him, which was incarnate, liued, wrought, taught, and dyed for your synnes: yea rose agayne from death, ascended into heauen for your iustification. Repent ye of the lyfe that is past, and ceasse from synne, and from hence forward lyue as much tyme as remayneth in the flesh, not after the lustes of men, but after the wyll of God. To doe good and distribute, forget not. Fast and pray busely, and as euery man hath receiued the gyft, minister the same one to an other as good Ministers of þ^e manifold graces of God, that God in all things may be glorified through Iesus Christ, to whom be prayse and dominion for euer, and whyle the world standeth. Amen.

Yours G. Marsh.