<P> The familiar story, that, on seeing evil - doers taken to the place of execution, he was wont to exclaim, "But for the grace of God there goes John Bradford", is a universal tradition which has overcome the lapse of time . </P> <P> The tradition of attribution of the phrase to Bradford dates to at least the early 19th century, as it is found in A treatise on prayer by Edward Bickersteth (1822): </P> <P> The pious Martyr Bradford, when he saw a poor criminal led to execution, exclaimed, "there, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford". He knew that the same evil principles were in his own heart which had brought the criminal to that shameful end . </P> <P> While the phrase, or its attribution to Bradford, cannot be traced to before 1800, Townsend notes that there is a 17th - century attribution of a similar sentiment to Bradford, demonstrating how "by the sight of others' sins, men may learn to bewail their own sinfulness". According to this tradition, Bradford, "when he saw any drunk or heard any swear, &c., would railingly complain,' Lord I have a drunken head; Lord, I have a swearing heart ."' </P>

There but got the grace of god go i