CERTAIN

GODLY, LEARNED, AND COMFORTABLE

CONFERENCES,

BETWEEN THE

TWO REVEREND FATHERS AND HOLY MARTYRS,

DR. NICHOLAS RIDLEY,

LATE BISHOP OF LONDON,

AND

M. HUGH LATIMER,

SOMETIME BISHOP OF WORCESTER,

DURING THE TIME OF THEIR IMPRISONMENT.

Reprinted from the Edition of 1574, printed at London by John Awdeley.

The following Preface is prefixed to the Edition of

1574.

TO THE READER.

GRACE and peace, &c. Good Christian reader, here "are set forth, for thine instruction and comfort, certain learned and comfortable Conferences between the two reverend and godly fathers, M. Ridley and · M. Latimer, whose bodies the Romish tyranny of laté hath tormented, and fire hath consumed, whose souls mercy hath embraced, and heaven hath received: yielding the one unto the enemy to death, for testimony of the truth; commending the other unto God in sure hope of life. And forasmuch as these, their scrolls and writings, were by God's good providence preserved, and, as it were, raked out of the ashes of the authors, containing as well comfortable consolation for such as are in the school of the cross, as also good and profitable admonition for them, which (either of ignorance, either of infirmity, or by flattering of themselves with vain pretences) do yield unto the wicked world; the reverence due to the reverend fathers, the zeal towards the setting forth of the tried truth, and the ready good will to comfort and confirm weak consciences, would not suffer thee any longer to want these small treatises, and yet no small treasures: that as in life they profited thee by teaching, and in death by example, so after death they may do thee good by writing.

And, albeit, the matter of itself is sufficient to commend itself, yet it cannot be, but the worthiness of the writers will increase credit and give no small authority to the writings. Master Latimer came earlier in the morning, and was the more ancient workman in the Lord's vineyard: who also may very

t

well be called (as divers learned men have termed him) the Apostle of England, as one much more worthy of that name for his true doctrine, for his sharp reproving of sin and superstition, than was Augustin, Bishop of Canterbury, for bringing in the Pope's monkery and false religion. M. Ridley came later about the eleventh hour, but no doubt he came when he was effectually called, and from the time of his calling became a faithful labourer, terrible to the enemies for his excellent learning, and therefore a meet man to rid out of the Lord's vineyard the sophistical thorns of the wrangling adversaries, which did well appear in all disputations and conferences, that were in his time, and partly doth appear in this treatise following, and also in his excellent brief treatise upon the Lord's supper, now also newly printed.

But what shall it need many words to praise them, whose lives were most commendable, whose deaths were most glorious? in office and vocation both alike, in labour and travail both faithful, in learning and judgment both sound, in mind and manners both mild, in God's cause both stout. For neither threatened death, neither love of present life could shake the foundation of their faith, firmly grounded upon the sure rock of Christ. They redeemed liberty of conscience with the bondage of the body, and, to save their lives, they were content to lose their lives. This was not the work of the flesh, but the operation of God's mighty Spirit, who hath ever from the beginning not only builded but also enlarged his church by the sufferance of his saints, and sealed his doctrine with the blood of his martyrs, as St. Austin, speaking of the persecutions in the primitive church, doth well declare in these words: "The Christians were bound, were imprisoned,

were beat, were tormented, were burnt, and yet were multiplied." (De Civit. Dei, lib. 22. c. 6.)

If Justinus Martyr, when he was yet a heathen philosopher (as he confesseth of himself), was moved to embrace the faith and religion of Christ, in beholding the constant patience of the martyrs, which suffered for Christ in his time, how much more ought the patient suffering and voluntary death of these notable fathers, with many other learned godly men in our days, whose names are written in the book of life, not only move but also pierce and persuade all godly hearts constantly to remain in the truth known? for, undoubtedly, the truth of the cause they suffered for is most evident by God's word, and hath been so fully taught, so clearly set forth by so many and sundry writings, that it is open to the consciences of all the world, even of the very adversaries themselves, that persecute it (the greater is their damnation), except it be to such whom the God of this world, malice, ambition, avarice or ignorance hath blinded. Which thing needeth none other proof (especially for the realm of England) but only to call to mind with what conscience and constancy those pillars of the church, that cannot err, have walked in religion these twenty years by past: how they once received and allowed those things, which with fire and fagot they persecute now, and shrank from that then, which now they most earnestly maintain. And although there appeared in the latter days a shadow of stoutness in a few, yet it was indeed nothing. For it sprang not out of any zeal to the cause, or clearness of conscience, but rather out of a like subtle and foxy presumption, as the Syrians once conceived, when they put themselves in the danger of king Ahab, saying: "Behold, we have heard, that the kings of the house of Israel are pitiful and merciful."