Do away with the "Antichristian garbidge!"

By Elizabeth Prata

Above, I could not find a portrait of Marshall. Here are some other more famous Puritans: Gallery of famous 17th-century Puritan theologians: Thomas Gouge, William Bridge, Thomas Manton, John Flavel, Richard Sibbes, Stephen Charnock, William Bates, John Owen, John Howe and Richard Baxter. Public Domain.

Stephen Marshall, (1594?-1655) was a non-conformist Puritan.

His sermons, especially that on the death of John Pym in 1643, reveal eloquence and fervour. The only "systematic" work he published was A Defence of Infant Baptism, against John Tombes (London, 1646). He was born at Godmanchester in Huntingdonshire, and was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge (M.A. 1622, B.D. 1629). After holding the living of Wethersfield in Essex, he became vicar of Finchingfield. In 1636 he was reported for "want of conformity." 

In 1642 Marshall was appointed lecturer at St Margaret's, Westminster, and delivered a series of addresses to the Commons in which he advocated episcopal and liturgical reform. A moderate presbyterian, he contributed to the "Shorter Catechism" in 1647, and was one of the "Triers" in 1654. He died in November 1655 and was buried in Westminster Abbey, but his body was exhumed and maltreated at the Restoration. Wikipedia

More on Marshall at A Puritan's Mind, here.

I was struck by the section of his "SERMON PREACHED To the Right Honourable the House of LORDS at the Monethly Fast, March 26. 1645."

First, for the purgation and reformation of it; all the rubbish, all the drosse, the Antichristian pelfe [booty] and garbidge that the house of God is defiled with, you are to throw it all out, with Josiah, into the brook Kidron; to sweep it all out, 

and to bring back the people, who have been misled into Arminianisme, to Popery, to Superstition, to any of these abominable wayes, you are to remove all these stum∣bling-blocks, and to bring them back againe unto the knowledge of the Lord their God: 

We are 374 years later, and we are still struggling with Arminianism, Popery, and Supersitition. These things are 'Antichristian garbage' said Marshall. Sadly, many hesitate to call them that. But remember, anything not of Christ is against Christ. (Matthew 12:30).