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A51587
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A testimony against periwigs and periwig making, and playing on instruments of musick among Christians or any other in the days of the gospel being several reasons against those things / by one who for good conscience sake hath denyed and forsaken them, John Mulliner.
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Mulliner, John.
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1677
(1677)
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Wing M3059; ESTC R31060
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19,265
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24
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A TESTIMONY Against Periwigs and Periwig-Making and Playing on Instruments of Musick among CHRISTIANS or any other in the days of the Gospel Being several Reasons against those things By one who for Good Conscience sake hath denyed and forsaken them John Mulliner But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5.6 Wo to the Crown of Pride Isa 38.1 Wo to them that are at ease in Zion trust in the mountain of Samaria which are named chief of the nations to whom the house of Israel came Passe ye unto Calneh and see and from thence go ye to Hemath the great then go down to Gath of the Philistines be they better then these kingdoms or their border greater then your border Ye that put far away the evil day cause the seat of violence to come near That lie upon beds of ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches and eat the lambs out of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall That chaunt to the sound of the viol and invent to themselves instruments of musick like David That drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the chief ointments but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph Amos 6.1 2 3 4 5 6. It is better to go to the House of Mourning then to go the House of Feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to heart Sorrow is better then Laughter for by the sadness of the Countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7.2 3. Printed in 〈◊〉 Year 1677 The Reasons why John Mulliner Barber in Northampton left off his Imployment of Borders and Periwig-making and how it was with him as to his Inward Condition before he Joyned with the People of God in scorn called Quakers as also his Testimony for them and his earnest Desires to his Neighbours and Acquaintance of the Town of Northampton that they would as well as himself be reconciled to the Principle of God in their Conscience now after this Judgment of God that hath been upon this Town by Fire Loving Neighbours and Acquaintance SInce I have left off my Imployment of making Borders and Periwigs it hath occasioned several of you to speak hardly of me and many Reports there are and have been concerning of it insomuch that I have been told I have made my self a Town and Country-talk Now for the clearing of my self and the Truth of God in which I am concerned and your Understandings it hath been much in my Mind to acquaint you with the Reasons why I left it which I would fain have avoyded and not to appeared so openly amongst you for I have sent several Letters to some Persons whom I have been concerned with in Town and Country to let them know why I left them but this would not satisfie me but as I have been a publick Professor of this Employment for many years I found I could not be clear in the sight of God and man till I had publickly given my Reason why I left it off and likewise how it was with me as to my inward Codition before I joyned with this People of God who are in Scorn called Quakers Ever since I was about ten or twelve years of age that I began to think that there was a God it hath been my earnest Breathing desire to know Peace with him and often when I was walking in the field I have thought that the very Fowls of the Air and the Beasts of the Field were in a better Condition then I was if I did not know Peace with God when my Dayes were at an End And it hath been my earnest Cry to God in the time of my Apprentiship and since as I have been walking in the Field other Places as I have been in private by myself that I had rather have my HELL or Sorrrw Trouble here in this life then to endure the Everlasting DISPLEASVRE of the God of Heaven hereafter and in order to this good desire which was begotten in me by the Lord I did love to wirte Sermons to hear the best of Teachers as I thought then which I have gone two Miles to hear in the time of my Apprentiship rather then I would have gone to sport or play my time away and at that time as I have been going I have cryed and begged of God That I might not miss of something that might be for my Soul 's good when my dayes were at an End And after this manner have I gone out in those dayes and since I came to the Town of Northampton to set up for my Trade I was a great Hearer of Simon Ford who belonged to the Parish of Albollows and I have writ his Sermons and after I had done I have come home and locked my self in and took my Bible and read the Scriptures and after I have read his Sermons and have laid them before me and have kneeled down and cryed and prayed to God that if there was any thing in them whereby I might come to the Knowledge of God's Everlasting Truth that he would not Withhold himself from me that I â—â—ght have an Vnderstanding of it For Lord I have said thou knowest my Desire is before thee and that I did not beg for any thing in this life but for my Soul's Peace with thee when my dayes were at an End And the more I prayed and cryed the more Trouble I had so that I knew not what to do I was so much distressed but I thought to go to Simon Ford who was my Teacher in hopes he would have satisfied me but finding that I could not declare my Condition as I had felt it upon my Spirit for some time I took a sheet of Paper and writ my Condition and read it to him how that I was in great trouble night and day so that I could not tell what to do though I had writ his Sermons and laid them before me and cryed and prayed to God that he would give me a true Understanding of his way that I might have my Soul saved when my dayes were at an End And much more I did write to this Purpose which writing some of my Neighbours at that time did see as I shewed it to them So he confessed these were good desires and could say little against me but after pretty much discourse to this Purpose he advised me to read a Book which I did get and read it but no Comfort could I get from him nor the Book neither though I went to him and several more of that Coat several times before I joyned with this People called Quakers And I was satisfied that there was that in me that time that no man could satisfie except the God of Heaven appear in h m And sometimes I
have seen this People when they have come amongst us when I was a Hearer of Simon Ford into the very Assemblies and though they have said very little what a Confusion was there among the Teachers and Hearers And sometimes I have seen them two or three that came into this Place which was suffered by the Judgment through Fire to be laid waste that they have come into the Assembly at Alballows with Sack-cloth and Ashes upon their Heads bare-foot and bare-headed which I did at that very time very much strange at And another time I saw ano her come into the School when they were acting their pa t s in strange Dresses and wished them to train up their Children in the Fear of the Lord and they did lay violently upon him with their Sticks so that I was much troubled to see it And several times I have cryed and prayed to God to know why was it so that this People came amongst us after this manner what is the matter with them notwithstanding though it be so and they are never so uncomely yet if this be thy People give me an Understanding concerning of it for thou knowst what my soul travels after And before I joyned with them it was very hard for me to deny my self and become a Fool by reason of my great Acquaintance and Business in way of my Trade I thought I did not care if I had been of any Religion so I had not been of that Many of my Acquaintance would make a Mock at me so one time I purposed to go to Halson Horse Race about two Miles off Northampton then if went thither I thought they would not take notice of me for such an one but as soon as I come I thought they took notice of me and said What we hear you are turned Quaker but the Lord knew what Pain my soul was in at that time but I thought long to get by my self to cry and pray to God and comeing home my Brother M. came with me for I know his very heart was concerned for me at that time but there was such a Load and Pain fell upon me at that time that made me cry out with many tears running down my Cheeks Lord God of Heaven have Mercy upon me what shall I do to be saved Lord God of Heaven have Mercy upon me what shall I do to be saved â—o he fell a crying to me and said What ayleth thee Brother the Lord will have Mercy upon thee And I knew not any one living in all the world that could afford me any Comfort except the God of Heaven did Neighbours Acquaintance I write no Lye to you this day God is my witness and so long I do believe as my Brother hath Life and Sense he will not forget that time as he hath told me since And about this time there were several of this People carried out dead out of the County Goal which lay in the Dungeon FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS which I know not but might be by Reason of the Straitness of the Place as they were confined in and for want of common Air And then I began to enquire what was the matter and I could not understand that any thing was laid to their Charge except it was as concerning the worship of their God and then I wished if they suffered for God's sake and for Righteousness sake that I might suffer with them too for I did not care if they burned me if I was sure it was for God's sake but all the Business was to know whether I should be sure of it So J discoursed with some of my Neighbours and Acquaintance they said it was a Fancy and a Whimsie Bewitching and Delusion and after this rate they talked but the Lord knew my heart was it a Whimsie and Delusion and Bewitching to cry and pray to God to have Mercy upon my soul when my dayes were at an End The Lord knew this was is the very intent breathing of my soul and if this was Delusion I will be deluded more for I am sure God hath promised Seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened and do they say this is but a Fancy and a Whimsie And many times I have gone into the field and I have got into a Land of Corn in private when no Eye or Ear hath seen or heard me and there have I kneeled down and prayed and cryed to God and pleaded with him as I was created and he my Creator and I had a soul to be saved that he would not withhold himself from me for I knew not any one living upon the Face of the whole Earth that I could have any Comfort in if thou O thou God of Heaven and Earth didst not help me and whither should I go or how should I pray for thou O God of Heaven and Earth Hast the Words of Eternal Life and I shall not let thee rest till thou hast Mercy upon me for I cannot trust my Salvation upon this man's Faith or the other man's Faith but upon thee O thou God of Heaven and Earth alone and after this manner J went on And J was a great lover of Musick and many times as J have been thinking of God and of the Condition that J was in it would have brought trouble upon me so that many times I have took my Cittern or Treble Viol or any instrument as I had most Delight in thinking to drive away these Thoughts and I have been so troubled as I have been playing that J have laid my instrument down and have reasoned with my self after this manner and fell a crying to God it is true I love this Musick but what good can these sounds do me when my soul wants Peace with God and this doth but stir up Laughter and Lightness of Spirit to make me forget my Maker and this will I last but a little while and I had better seek my Peace with God and then At his Right Hand there is Pleasures for evermore and these thoughts I had then So that my Musick began to be a Burden to me and J would fain have sold them my Intruments but that I had not Freedom in my Mind to do for if J did those who bought them would have made use of them as I did and J thought J would not be the Cause of it so J took as many as I suppose cost forty Shilling and BURNED THEM and had great Peace in my mind in doing of it which is more to me then all the Pleasures in this world And often I have cried to God and said as the Scriptures say Thou art no Respecter of Persons though I am but a poor simple man why may not I know as much of thee as to my Salvation as another man since my Sinceâ—ity is before thee and thou seest what my Heart earnestly breaths after for it was not this Name or that Name that I minded but Peace with God