An epistle or godlie admonition, of a learned minister of the Gospel of our sauiour Christ sent to the pastoures of the Flemish Church in Antwerp, (who name themselues of the Confession of Auspurge,) exhorting them to concord with the other ministers of the Gospell. Translated out of French by Geffray Fenton. Here may the christian reader lerne to know what is the true participatio[n] of the body of Christ, & what is the lauful vse of the holy Supper.

A prayer of the Author, for the concorde of doctrine, and vnitie in wils in diuine things, appertey∣ning to the aduauncement of the Gospell of CHRIST.

O Eternall and mercifull Lord, who as thou art God of peace, loue and con∣cord, so dissētions quarels and debates are hatefull vnto thée: We sée how (with good right) thou chastisest oure malice and rebellion ageinst thée, by the diuersitie of o∣pinions and strange iudgements raigning at this day amongst men, specially in the cause of religion. In the beginning (Lord) thou hast created man to thyne own image and likenesse, to the ende that he and his po∣steritie mighte be one thing with thée, ha∣uing one only opinion led according to thy holy worde and manifestation and one wil affected to embrace that which thou deman dest, whereupon might folow workes con∣formable to thy diuine and holy lawe.

But the serpent enemie of all peace, and on the cōtrarie a louer of dissention and dis∣cord, taught oure first Fathers the lesson of infidelitie, distrust, presumption and arro∣gant curiositie. Alas (our good God and cre∣ator) that we feele and make dayly experi∣ence of miserable effects of that lesson prin∣ted by Sathan in our harts: for euery one of vs striues to be a god vppon earth, euery one pretends to be able, (by the touche of his owne iudgement) to discerne whiche is good or euill, what is agreable or inconue∣nient to thy diuine Maiestie, yea euery one thinkes to be the maister that ought to in∣struct his neighbour. Take pitie of vs (O Lorde) and deface in oure hartes this per∣uerse lesson (full of ambition & pride) make vs vnderstand in good earnest, that thou art hée only, to whom belongeth to discerne be∣twene the good and euill, and betwene the truthe and dreames, and that it is thou lord who by thy eternall worde Iesus Christe, giuest lighte, manifestation, & knowledge of thy secretes to those that feare thée: thou art he alone, who by thy holy spirit doest di∣rect & teach thy disciples, which make them of thy schole and worde. Withoute thée

(Lorde) wée are lost and confounded, with∣out thy truthe wée are liers, without thy doctrine we bée falsefiers, without thy instruction we bée presumptuous & proud. Alas, wée, euen wée miserable creatures, to giue oure selues an estimation in the world, forsake thy eternall worde, whiche is the trée of euerlasting life, and go deuou∣ring the frute of knowledge gyuen by Sa∣than: From thence (Lorde) it comes, that our knowledge and wisdome is accompa∣nied with pride and arrogant contention, not giuing place one to an other, whereby wée shewe that oure wisdome and know∣ledge is not from aboue for by the same wée faine to searche thy glorie, and to blisse and prayse thée as our GOD and Father: and in the meane while, to mainteyne our opinions, wée accurse men fashioned to thyne owne Image and likenesse, in suche sorte that out of one only mouth procéedes bothe cursse and blissing: a thing whiche might séeme both impossible and incredible, if dayly experience did not discouer theyr manifest and absolute effectes. For howe is it possible, that a fountayne should caste out of one vent or spoute, water that is

pleasaunt, and withall bitter and salte? Who can beléeue, that a Figge trée can bring forth Olyues, or a Vine yeld Figs? Truly Lorde, such contrarieties are not so contrarie in naturall things, as is mani∣fested in things spiritual wherin we deale. For how should men beléeue our wordes, saying we loue God, when by our workes we discouer a certeyne hate▪ to our neygh∣bours? We saye, we search no other thing than the aduauncement of the kingdome of Christ, and yet wée afflict and persecute the very members of Christ: We crie with o∣pen throate, that we are of the Ambassa∣dours of the holy Gospell of peace, and yet our attemptes and councels are not but of warres, murders, and effusions of mans bloud. Oh most wretched that we are, we rayse and lifte vp our handes to praye and call vpon thée, which notwithstanding are all sprinkled and goared with the bloud of those whiche thou haddest made liuely, by thy wonderfull prouidence.

Seing that such is our wisdome, sprong of oure bel••••fe, that is to say, earthly, sen∣suall and diuellishe, accompanied with en∣ute, wrath, trouble, with all workes of per∣uersitie:

giue vs Lorde by thy bountie thy wisedome from an highe, whiche may be pure, peaceable, moderate, tractable, full of mercie and good frutes, and far from de∣bates, dissentions, and all hipocrisie: bring to passe lord, that the frutes of iustice may be sowen in peace for those whiche vse & make peace, and by those which be the true pronoūcers and shewers of the same peace: bring to passe Lorde, that we shewe our selues wise and well aduised, not onely in vaine wordes and bable of Religion, but let vs bring forth in our conuersation the frutes of the Gospell wherein we beléeue, accompanying our faith with workes of humilitie, and celestiall wisdome.

Take pitie on vs (O Lorde) by thy bountie and mercie, for we confesse to haue offended thée greatly and withoute mea∣sure, and we confesse that the rebukes whiche thou sendest vppon vs, are but the iuste rewardes of our merites. Thou Lord sufferest, that we haue warre, dissentions, quarelles and debates, and that we com∣mitte vnnaturall murder one vppon an o∣ther, and that more for the cause of our par∣ticular opinions, than in respect of zeale to

thy glorie, (whereof notwithstanding we vaunte our selues) thou sendest to vs the messangers and Heraldes of thy wrathe, that is to saye, infections of the aire, conta∣gious diseases, pestilence, famine, ship∣wracks, with other like arguments of thy heauy displeasure towardes vs, and yet we harden our hartes: thou sufferest that straunge Nations, Barbarous and Idola∣ters do raise them selues against vs for the ouerthrowe of the Churches and Assem∣blies where thy name ought to be glorifi∣ed, and wée trusting in our owne forces, industries, and frayle wisdoms, will not haue recourse to thée, and therefore with good right oh Lorde, thou leauest vs to the mercie of the infidelles, and sufferest the superstitious to haue victorie ouer vs. Oh Father of mercie, bestowe vpō vs thy piti∣full eyes, reforme our hartes and oure af∣fections, engraue in vs the only zeale of thy glorie, graffe in our mindes the true trée of life whiche is Iesus Christe our Sauiour and Redéemer, the fruts of whom do make vs liuely: let vs be filled with true fayth, liuely hope, mutual and brotherly charitie, & that we exercising in works of true mor∣tification,

iustice, innocencie and holinesse, may be in the ende possessors of the eternal life, for the obteyning whereof we haue bin chosen & predestinate to the prayse of thée, (oh father of mercy, and of thy Christ our only sauiour) to whome with thy holy Spirit be glorie & prayse for euer.

Amen.