The Good Old Way, Title page – To the reader 1
The Good Old Way, OR An Excellent and Profitable Treatiſe of REPENTANCE MADE By that Pretious man of God and faithfull Martyr of Jeſus Chriſt Mr JOHN BRADFORD in the yeare 1553. Now publiſhed with two Prefaces, relating the life of the Author, and the excellency of the WORKE.
Except ye repent ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. Luke 13.5.
The times of this Ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to Repent. Act. 17.30.
OXFORD, Printed by LEON. LICHFIELD Printer to the Ʋniverſity 1652.
To all faithfull Mnaſons, old Diſciples, and all thoſe who deſire and endeavour to walk in the good old Goſpel-way of Faith and Repentance.
Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God our Father, and from our Lord JESUS CHRIST.
IT is a common Proverb that good Wine needs no lvy buſh, No more doth this good old Wine, this excellent Treatiſe of that Saint of God, Mr Bradford need any letters of commendation. Yet it will be requiſite to ſpeak ſomething, and I hope it will be interpreted a deed of charity if I interpoſe as an Advocate for the truth of this Orphan Tract, whoſe Father was a Saint on earth, and now reignes as a glorious Saint in heaven. The work is legitimate, tranſcribed after an exact Copy: and it's ſutable to the ſtile, and ſavours of the Authors ſpirit. The many choyce breathings in his letters, and this Treatiſe are all of a peece, good old gold, more pretious then that of Ophir.
Something I ſhall briefely ſpeake of the Author, and then of this Tract. For the Author, what his learning was is upon Record, how ſolid and ſinuous his diſputations were with the Popiſh Prelates, Spaniſh Friars, and others that viſited him in priſon, and how dextrouſly he managed all his Diſputations, with Wiſdome, judgement, and zeale, you may read largely in Mr Foxes Martyrology. He was a man of an acute witt, penetrating judgement, and had the approbation and advice of Martin Bucer to enter into the Miniſtery.
His piety was rare and eminent. As was the man, ſo was his communication, holy and uſefull. Who ſo reads his ſpirituall breathings, (I might almoſt call it a tranſcendent ſtyle) in his Epiſtles, muſt needs confeſſe, that he was one of the holieſt men that ever lived ſince the Apoſtles time. Take a taſt of him in theſe few characters,
1. He was a zealous, plaine, profitable Preacher of Gods word, He knew how to divide the word aright, and walke accordingly. He had thoſe two rare Qualifications of a Preacher foreign. He was a Boanerges a ſonne of Thunder, to impenitent, obdurate ſinners, but a Barnabas, a ſonne of conſolation to the children of God.
2. He was of an humble ſelfe-denying ſpirit. I never read of any, that had a meaner opinion of himſelfe, then he had. You ſhall finde the ſubſcription of his letters, Miſerrimus peccator, a very hypocrite, the moſt hard-hearted unthankefull ſinner, a very painted hypocrite, John Bradford. So cheap an eſteeme had he of himſelfe. This humility is an adorning grace, next to the garment of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, none like to it, wherefore the Apoſtles phraſe is Emphaticall 1 Pet. 5. foreign: Be ye cloathed with humility: Let it be your uppermoſt garment; Cyprian ſaith, Fundamentum ſanctitatis eſt humilitas. This holy man's example is worthy of our imitation.
3. He was much acquainted with God, and enjoyed a holy communion and familiarity with him, in Prayer & Meditation. He meditated much, and Meditation is the ſpirituall digeſtion of the ſoule. It's a divine ruminating upon the word read, or Preached: when we meditate ſeriouſly on the Promiſes, Attributs, or ſuch choyce ſubjects, we are up in the Mount with Moſes, we ſoare aloft, even to heaven, being carryed by the wings of holy meditation. This meditation is an uphill duty, Iſaack, Moſes, Paul, and other Saints of God, have found ſweet conſolation flowing from it: And he joyned prayer to Meditation, he was frequently upon his knees, and he would not riſe up, till he felt ſomething coming in, ſome ſpirituall illapſe darted upon his ſoule. His practice was ſutable to Bernard's reſolution, Nunquam Domine diſcedam a te ſine te. He ſtudied uſually upon his knees, and prayed much in his ſtudy; and indeed he ſtudies well who praies well. And he can take the moſt comfort of his ſtudy, who reaps the fruits of his paines, as Returnes of his prayers.
4. He was of a melting tender heart. He wept much and mourned, that he could not bring his dull heart to love Jeſus Chriſt more. At table as he ſate at meat, he uſually pulled his hat down before his eyes, and poured forth abundance of teares upon his trencher. He had a tender heart, bowells opened to the Priſoners, he had a tender care both of their bodies and ſoules. When he was in Priſon, he viſited frequently his Fellow-Priſoners, and ſpent much time in praying for them, exhorting of them, and contributing liberally out of his purſe unto them.
I need adde no more, for what I can ſay is too little & beneath the Authors worth, of whom the World was not worthy: He lived a Saint, and died a Martyr.
Now, for this worke which I here preſent to the Reader, I am aſſured, that its not ſpurious, but the genuine iſſue of this worthy Author. Herein is handled The Doctrine of Repentance, with many moving conſiderations thereunto. Perhaps his plaine Phraſe may not ſuite this curious age, which is too too much given to affectation of words, Sed diſtinguenda ſunt tempora. Thoſe times were not uſed to ſet forth or garniſh their diſhes as now they are, yet, the food is wholſome, plaine and profitable. And if our palates cannot reliſh ſuch food, I feare there's ſome diſtemper in them, and it's our duty to pray for the removall thereof, I ſhall not make a Panegyrick on the Treatiſe. The work will abundantly commend it ſelfe. Here's Evangelicall Repentance, preſt home unto the Conſcience, with many cogent convincing Arguments. It was then ſpoken in ſeaſon, and it's a Doctrine that can never be preſt our of ſeaſon: Theſe are Goſpel daies. The Kingdome of heaven is at hand, and of all times Goſpel times are peculiar times of Repentance. The Lord calls upon all rankes of men, Magiſtrates, Miniſters, People, Repent, Repent. Various diſpenſations call on us to repent, ſome times God ſpeaks in the Thunder of judgement, ſometimes in the Muſick of mercy: Both by mercies and judgements we are called to Repentance. The laſt words of this holy Martyr were Repent England: And truly the words of a dying man ſhould be much ſet by, Eſpecially of a dying Saint, who bequeaths this Legacy to England in his laſt breath.
Now whoever thou art, that readeſt this book, and art hereby won, to think on thy waies, and turne unto God, give God the glory, and look on it as a ſpeciall hand of providence, in bringing this book to thy ſight. I will not detaine thee longer from reading this enſuing Treatiſe; Read it, and read it againe, with prayer and Meditation, and the Lord teach thee to profit by it. And ſo I commend thee to the grace of God, and bid thee heartily Farewell; entreating thy prayers for him, who in love to thy ſoule, hath revived this Treatiſe, and remaines
Thy ſervant for Chriſts ſake H. W.