your rule see how contrary you walk to it and say it is impossible to be done and Christ he said Mat. 7.14 Because strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it The Saints they were persecuted and imprisoned and Christ said For if they do these things in a green Tree what shall be done in the dry Luke 23.31 If they persecuted me they will persecute you also if they regarded not my Sayings they will not regard yours I pray you do but look back which look more like Saints those as assemble themselves together in your Assemblies or these whom Christ spake of who are persecuted for Righteousness sake and truly I look upon these to be Real Saints and had rather take my Portion among such in this day if it be in Persecution then to enjoy the Pleasures of sin for a season And when I came amongst this People at first what a strangeness did it Cause amongst my very Relations and Acquaintance insomuch that my nearest Relations were stirred up in Envâ—â—nd Bitterness against me some signifying as if I had not been fit to live upon the Earth and the Lord knows I had no other Desire in my Heart but to do that which my God-fathers God-mothers as they call them promised I should do as is the Custom now adays which People talk of but if they come to do it they rise up as an Army against them Father against the Son and Daughter against the Mother and All Evil-doers against Christ's Appearances spiritually so that in effect they say They will not have this man to rule over us and whoever he be that is a true spiritual Traveller will find these things to be true And that was That I should forsake the Devil and all his works the vain Pomps and Vanities of this wicked world the sinful lusts of the flesh and so forth but as long as I could talk of these things and not do them no notice was took of me as to be offended with me but when I came to do these things what a do was here and whath strangeness did it beget amomgst my very familiar Acquaintance And God is my witness at this time it is the very end of my Travel in Spirit To make my Peace with God when my dayes are at an end And now Neighbours and Acquaintâ—â—â—â— I being one that have had hard speeches cast upon me by some of you I thought I could not be clear in the sight of God and man till I had acquainted you how it was with me from a Child to this day which I hope will give no occasion of Offence to any but could heartily wish that you may not be alwayes Professors but Possessors of that Life which is beyond all the Profession in the world and that you may know the Lord's will to be done in your hearts as it is in Heaven and then you will pray as you should do and know what to pray for And truly my loving Neighbours and Acquaintance if it had been possible for you to have seen the inside of me I have told you the very Travel of my soul in these things and what I have here will I have had the Experience of and do not think it is a Whimsie or a Fancy and a Delusion to serve God it is your Concern as well as mine your souls lie in danger of Ruin as well as mine hath done and therefore for the Lord's sake consider these things which belong to your everlasting peace before they be hid from your Eyes for here is but a little while before your dayes be at an End and we shall see man no more and what is all this world worth then it is not all the words of earthly wisemen though called Teaches of this age or any man that can justifie you if God condemn you by his Light and Spirit in your own hearts theâ—efore for the Lord's sake think not that God will be mocked nor make not sleight of these things for such as you sow you must reap Your souls lie in danger of everlasting Misery anâ— it is an inward Reformation a new heart a riâ—ht spirit as God looks for of us all and it is the earnest Breathing of my soul you may seek after it as well as myself And now you my loving Neighbours and Acquaintance of this Town of Northampton where among you I have drawn my first breath how hath my heart been pained to behold the Ruins of this poor Town and I have and do from my very soul desire that this Affliction which God hath sent amongst us may be for the better and not for the worse And it is not long since there was another warning by Thunder Lightning and Hail-storm such that in all my daye I do not know I have heard or seen the like what Dread and Fear were the poor Inhabitants in at that time Oh that you would have kept your minds exercised as I do beleive some did and had some Sense of the Dread 〈◊〉 Fear of this Terrible God that can shake terribly the Earth 〈◊〉 make the Inhabitants fear bâ—fore him I say what Fear were they in at that time running up and down thinking that the Town had been fired by Reason of the Lightning that was at that time The Lord grant that you may be of that Principle or Religion as it hath been my desire from a Child to be of that Religion which would endure a Thunder-clap that is if God should have called me or you to Judgment at that very time we might be ready with Oyl in our Lamps and not Put it off to buy when the Bridgroom comes for blessed be God at that very time I do not speak it for any Praise among you God is my witness but as I felt it upon my Spirit at that very time I could sing for Joy in my Spirit when others were running up and down in Dread and Fear and for ever my soul shall trust in this God who is mighty to save and mighty to destroy God blessed forever And the very Inhabitants themselves could not but at that time confess that God had sent another Judgment amongst them in my hearing but yet for all this what blasPheming the Name of God is here and Drunkenness and all manner of Wickedness almost committed Envy Malice and Hatred and what not insomuch that some have told me several times that you think in your Conscience you are a great deal worse then you were before the Fire and why is it so with you for the Lord's sake consider what will become of you that go on in this resolute way God will not alwayes strive with you put not I beseech you this day of the Lord afar off but while it t s to day harden not your Hearts I would intreat you that you would look back for about this twenty years what have this poor scorned People of God called Quakers
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
when my dayes were at an End Then as to my Employment of Periwig making it is more then twelve years since I began to make them much might be said for the making of them by some yet much questioning reasoning have I had within my self for some years so that at some times I have been troubled when I have been making of them and I could not tell what was the Reason of my Trouble except that was and sometimes when I have seen some of my Friends come in I have been ready to put them out of my sight and could not go on with any Content but Trouble so long as they were looking on me and some have spoke to me and told me They thought I did not do well in making of them to this purpose they have spoken and many times I have reasoned with my self after this manner what need I make such ado and be so much concerned there is hardly any man but is desirous of a good Head of Hair and if Nature doth not afford it if there be an Art to make a Decent Wig or Border what harm is that Object But are there not several of thy Friends who wear Borders and are accounted honest men Answ As for those whose Hair is wasted fallen and gone off their Heads through infirmity of Body and for want of it do find that their health is impaired or lessened if such do wear short Borders so their health sake and for no other End or Cause whatsoever I judge them not but let none make a pretence that they wear Borders or Wigs for their Health when in Reallity another thing is the Cause for God the Righteous Judge sees in Secret and he hates Pride Hypocrisie the spirit of which is judged for ever to be judg'd with all its fruits by the Lord and his People And let all those who have Hair growing upon their heads sufficient to serve them I mean what is really needful or useful be content therewith and not find fault with their own Hair and cut it off and lust after and put on others Hair And further thus I reasoned is there not some of thy Friends who make them sell Hair for the making of them and drive a great Trade and what do J not think that they have not as much Care to go to Heaven as J have and what need J make such ado and be so concerned But all this would not do but here lay that which was very near me that was if God should call me to account at this very time while J am reasoning after this manner whether or no J could stand clear in his sight and make them for if J stood condemned in God's sight it was not this man's making of them nor the other man's wearing of them that would justifie me in God's sight for if God condemns me in my Conscience J know no man living who can justifie or take away that Guilt And here J stood in this Condition for some time and the Lord knew the travel of my soul in these things and J knew not what J should do to be cleared of them so that J have been almost out of Hopes sometime and said within my self and cried J am afraid J shall dye with this upon my Conscience and then what will become of me hereafter and how can J stand clear in the sight of God that am condemned for it in my Conscience But my Prayers and Cryes were for God to deliver me for J could not deliver my self out of it but here J lay one day after another crying to God to be delivered So suddenly after our dreadful fire in which J was wi h the rest of my Neighbours a Partaker of that Judgment then J was more concerned then before so that J knew not what to do to get over it it lay so hard upon me to bear But still this cursed Enemy of my Soul this SELF-END Spirit began to work with me again and reason with me after this manner what am I resolved to ruin my self and turn away all if J do leave this J must expect to lose a great deal of my Trimming Trade and J had better leave off that then leave off this Periwig-making it fits so well with me in the Condition J am in by Reason of my Lameness J had a considerable Trade in it with several of my Acquaintance in Town and Country and some of them are Persons of Quality and wish me very well and if J leave that J shall disoblige them much and what will J do then am J minded to undo my self But still there was an inward Cry in me Lord save my soul for that lies at stake and it is that J plead for and J care not what J go through so my soul may have Peace with thee when my dayes are at an End for my soul is for Everlasting but this Trouble cannot last long These things stuck very hard with me that made me cry out night and day Lord deliver me and help me over this Weight and Pain that is upon my Spirit and J care not what J do so J may be clear of them So through much TROUBLE OF SPIRIT J was willing to leave them But this would not clear me but as I had been a publick Professor of this Employment for some time I must bear my Testimony against them and that was I should send for my two men as I had instructed in that way and tell them how I was troubled and take a Wig and burn it before them as a Testimony for God against them But this was very hard but no Peace could I have before I did it and much Pain and Sorrow I had before I did it and no Comfort but Torment of mind I had till I had given up to do it so according to the Pain and Sorrow that lay hard upon me I gave up to do it and I thank God I have much Ease Comfort of Mind since I have done it for the Lord hath not put me upon any thing but what he hath given me strength to go through and he is not a hard Master and I have great Peace and Comfort in what I have done which is more to me then all the Perishing Fading things in this world And whoever he be that doth expect Peace with God in himself he must know a Cross to his own Will to cross his sinful thoughts Words and Actions and whatever he knows God requires of him he must do it though it be a great Cross to him though it is very hard to Flesh and Blood Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but a man must be born again And as truly it is witnessed as ever it was writ in the Scripture God's People this day do know this spiritual Birth Blessed be God for ever and they travel in Spirit till God gives Encrease and delivers them And I am sure and can speak by Experience