A collection of the several writings and faithful testimonies of that suffering servant of God, and patient follower of the Lamb, Humphry Smith who dyed a prisoner for the testimony of Jesus, in Winchester common-goal the 4th day of the 3d moneth in the year 1663.

And first, Concerning my Call out of the World, or my going out from my House, Country and outward Employment.

THe Light of Christ, which condemns the Evil Deeds, comes from him who calleth his out of the World, and from their Employments, to follow him who putteth forth his Sheep, and thrultech forth Labourers into the Harvest; and Abraham, of whose Seed I now am, went out of his Country, and from his Fa∣thers House, Gen. 12. and him God blessed and encreased mighti∣ly, and the Lord also called, and thrust forth me, who at last was obedient to the Command of the God of Abraham; and ever since his Presence hath been with me, and his Blessings have I found, and the Encreasings of God have I received, Praises to the Lord God of Life for evermore, who hath called me by his Word of Power, through his Grace, which did teach me to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, and to obey his blessed Will, which was and is my Sanctification in Jesus Christ, who did also call Matthew from the receit of Custom to follow him, and Peter and John from their Employment of Fishing and made them fishers of men; and Paul also being called, left his Employment of Tent-making (after a time) and was Obedi∣ent to the heavenly Vision; and those then became a Wonder and a Gazing-stock to many, yet they continued on, Travelling through many Countries, as I since have done, preaching the Word of God with boldness.

And one of these men, who were called from their outward Employment, said, Every man, wherein he is called, there abide; and whereunto they were called, they did abide, (and so do l) and when the Priests and Rulers would have stopt their Mouthes by their Commands, they said Whether it be lawful to hearken unto God or Man, judge ye: But these Ministers of Christ, did not say, he that is a Husbandman, there abide; for Noah was a Husbandman, yet a Preacher of Righteousness, and Elisha a Plow-man, and Amos a Herdsman; neither did they say, He that is a Fisherman, let him so abide; neither did Christ say, he that will be my Disciple must follow his outward Employment or Trade, but he said, He that will not hate Father and Mother,

Brethren and Sisters, Wife and Children, yea, and his own Life too, cannot be my Disciple, Luke 1••. 20. and if not a Disciple, much less a Minister of his.

But hereby, neither Christ, nor them Ministers of his, nei∣ther I did, or do intend to draw or perswade People to Idleness, or open a Door for any such Evil, (neither is there many who are called out of the World's Worships, and required to leave their Families and called to the Ministry) but that hereby it may plainly appear, that the Command and Call of Christ, to his Work and Ministry is to be obeyed, though it be to the for∣faking of House, Goods or Lands; for a Minister of his, said We have forsaken all (And have not I done so?) and unto them who had forsaken all, unto all such was promised a Hundred fold, Matth. 19. 17, 18, 19. And Heaven and Earth shall pass away, be∣fore one Jot or Tittle of his Word shall fail: And truly, I have found his Promise true, for a Hundred times Hundred sold have I already received, blessed be the Lord forever.

But how contrary it was to my own Will to fulfill the Will of the Lord. in leaving my Employment and outward Business in the World, let all them judge with the Light, who knew my Conversation therein, and saw my Eagerness in the things of the World and Contrivances therein, beyond many men; my Heart being set in the Earthly things, being very fierce in La∣bouring therein, for the getting and encreasing of the Fruits of the Earth, as though I would have laid up Treasure for many Years, which might have been good in its place, if my Mind had been redeemed out of it, and my Heart from the Covetous∣ness thereof; but I say again, it was much contrary to my strong Will, to leave these things and the love of them, and much more that might be named, and be taken from it with a Hundred and Fifty Pound loss, and be exposed to Want, Hardships, Revi∣lings, Imprisonments, Whippings, Stonings, and all manner of cruel Torture, that the Soris of men might have Power to inflict upon my Body, and for me (that ruled over many, and was respected by many) to become a Servant unto all, and coun∣ted the Off-scouring of all, and be abused by any Boy, or the Vilest Person I meet; and it was much contrary to my Will, to refuse that Glory, Honour and Preferment of the VVorld

which was offered me by the Rulers thereof, when I was beloved of them, and Hundreds more; and when I preached among them in the Pulpits daily, and was then called of men Master, like the Hirelings of England, who being in the Curse cannot cease from Sin, 2 Pet. 2. 14. yet I still refused their Unrighteous Gain, and denyed all their Gifts and Rewards; for the Lord, in his Mercy, kept me out of them Temptations, though sometimes some that were then near Friends unto me, would have perswa∣ded me to have taken something of what was offered, as to live upon, but I durst not, if I had wanted Food or Raiment; but answered one Justice, who was proposing me a free Gift toward Maintenance, which might have been worth a Hundred Pound a Year, or more, seeing I left my Employment, freely to preach daily, but I say, I answered, I shall rather go in Sheep-Skins and Goat-Skins, and eat Bread and drink Water; and that little ho∣nest, meek Principle in me, which then kept me from that (and such Temptations) in due time led me to be Ruler over much, which before I had not Power over; therefore I say unto all, it is good to be faithful to the little measure of God in the Conscience.

For when I was but young and void of the knowledge of God, or his Way of Holiness, my Mind ran much in the Earth, with a covetous care, how to gain the Riches thereof; and even then did the Hand of the Lord follow me, and his Witness in me did so judge and condemn me Night and Day for my Evil, that at last I was scarce able to do any thing in the Earth, or go upon it; & then waiting to see what the reason was, after many Hours, I saw clearly, if I would leave the Wickedness of the world, and follow the Lord and trust him, I might have Peace, and if not, I was like to be cut off: And then I left some Sins, and re∣solved to live more Holy, and began to Pray and Read, and then I went to follow the Priests, not knowing that in me which I was to hear and follow, yet it secretly led me out of some Evil, and so into some Peace; and then my Heart was exalted in the Earth, though I encreased in a Profession.

And when I was in the height of the World's Way and Wor∣ship, and expecting Riches to increase, even then in an unex∣pected time, did the dread of the Lord fall upon me, and his wonderful mighty Power wrought exceedingly in me, to break

me off from all my Wayes, and seperate me from all the Worship of the VVorld, and gave me to see the Abomina∣tions of all the Prayers of the Wicked, and the Invalidity of all the Worships of all Mankind, who are out of God's Covenant; and the Operations then upon me by the terrible Hand of the Lord, and the strivings that were in me, can never be declared, and then did the Lord command me to follow him in Obedi∣ence to his Will, to declare against all Unrighteousness of men, which I saw in the Light of Life to be in Priests, Rulers and People; and I then saw clearly, in the eternal Light and fore∣sight of God, the Hardships, Cruelties, Whippings, Imprison∣ments and Dungeon, and many such things, which since in part have been upon this Body fulfilled, as may be read in several of my Books, (read the True Rule) and at that time did the power∣ful Life of God so much break through me, with such unspeak∣able Love, that I was even willing to leave all & walk with God.

But then contrary to Paul, I reasoned with Flesh and Blood, that I should be esteemed a Mad-man, and that People would not be∣lieve me; and that I was not fit, (and many such things:) Then the Word of the Lord was spoken in me, saying, Who is it that openeth the Mouth? Is it not I the Lord? Then was my Bowels even turned within me, with the constraining Power of Gods Eter∣nal Love, and I began to be willing; but when that was a little over, the Tempter being near, •• reasoned concerning my Wife and Children, How they should be provided for? and present∣ly the Promise of the Lord was, That they should be cared for; and his Promise was to me, That he who converteth Souls to God, should shine as the Stars forever: And when I had received them VVords into me, I was overcome with the Refreshings of God, and at the present made willing to undergo all Tribulations, if in my whole Life I did Convert but one Soul to God, seeing and feel∣ing the Redemption of one Soul to be so precious, the which then grew so strong in me, that I was scarce able to retain from present actual Obedience to God therein; but when I looked at my outward things, and how first to settle that in order, then was I by Temptations made afraid, That it was a Delusion, or something of the Devil transformed as an Angel of Light; and then between both, I was in much Trouble and Distress, not know∣ing

what to do, having not then known any called Quakers, nor any such Operations in any man in those dayes; yet that could hardly prevail to make me believe it was a Temptation: But at last, reasoning about outward things, I then resolved not to leave them, but to mind the things of the World, and not obey that which called me out of the VVorld.

And to write in short; at last I did strive and joyn with all the Powers of Darkness that I could, and used all means pos∣sible to drive the Power of God from me, and the Thoughts of him and his Works out of my Mind; but Wo was me after for it, and it had been just, if his Spirit had never strived more with me, but left me to be cut off forever, and to remain in the horrible Pit of Darkness; (And surely it was for the good of others that the Lord did spare me, some whereof may now with me rejoyce for evermore.)

For when all was too little to overcome the mighty Power of God in me, then did the love of the World prevail, and even thirstings, for the love of it to come into my Heart, to drive out the Love of God; at last, I with it against God prevailed, though the living Power of God was so great, that the Devil, the Flesh and the World was scarceable to overcome it for a time; and so I have seen Children, Wife, Farms and Oxen to hinder from the Kingdom of God; but that which hindred most was the love of outward Goods: And so it was but just with God, to take that at the last out of the way; and if he had swept all away in his Anger, as from Job, he had done me no wrong.

But when I had thus, in a cursed manner, overcome the striving of the sweet and lovely Spirit of Truth, yet was I not quiet, but much troubled, and in a sad Condition, which I was not able to hide from the World, who said, I was going Mad, seeing me so changed into Sadness, but of all this, and much more, I durst not then spake a word to any Creature.

And now mark, what for my Rebellion did justly follow:

My outward Goods, which I then loved more than Christ, be∣came as a Prey and a Spoil to unreasonable men, and most unjust∣ly on their parts, was I by them deprived of it; and the Lord al∣so dried up all my Springs within, that such a time after I knew, that I was left without hope, being in the horrible Pit of Dark∣ness,

from God, that I could neither pray nor believe, but con∣cluded, that I was accursed from God forever (and that which disobeyed was accursed) and being in a sad miserable Condition, resolved to write a VVarning to all People, that they might take Example by me, and never resist the Spirit as I had done; but before I could write (sinking down into the Condemnation, without Murmuring against God, knowing him to be just, if he cast me into the nethermost Hell forever) the Lord had Compas∣sion on me, and listed my Soul out of the Horrible Pit, and staid me with his hand for a time; yet afterwards his Afflictions fol∣lowed me in Judgments within, and much trouble in things with∣out, which my Heart was so upon, and yet for a long time I turned not unto the Lord that did smite, that his hand might make whole, though Checks I had by his Light in my Conscience, but strong was my VVill about it, until the fierce Judgment of the Lord did often break forth upon me with much Astonishment of Heart, and Horrible Indignation (not to be uttered) with Tears as streams of VVater from mine Eyes night and day, when it came upon me with Tremblings and Breakings, which broke the hardness of my Heart, and opened a way to something in me, which then I dearly loved; but going out again from that, I rea∣soned about my Outwards, and not waiting to receive Counsel from the Lord, I went unto a Rich Understanding man in out∣ward things, whom I loved, who may yet remember, that I made my Complaint unto That I was not able any longer to abide in the Way of the World; whose Counsel I then took, and my own Will together, and so sought to keep two Kingdoms some time longer, and therefore much Trouble followed me within, and VVasting, Loss, Shame and Destruction upon things without.

But however, I durst do no less than follow the Lord, and be Obedient unto him, whatever Loss I suffered, or whatever Shame or Reproach I might undergo, though often times I was afraid that this Power of God in me would soon come to an end, or fail from me, and that then I might return to my outward Em∣ployment with great Shame and Loss, and that then, instead of doing Service for God, I might bring a Reproach upon his bles∣sed Name, and my self thereby be a Hissing-stock to all men, and they say, I began to build, and not able to finish; and this also kept

me back very much. But such was the Everlasting Love of the Lord, who is known in the Ways of his Judgments, that his Hand was heavy upon me, and his Judgments encreased in me, that there was no way for me to escape, but I must be Obedient, and bow under it, or be cut off forever by it, so that my Bowels were often pained in me, and it is like for many Weeks had little sleep or bodily rest, and sometimes knew not my Wife and Chil∣dren, that I felt and heard in the Bed by me, but thought they were People I should not be with: And therefore one time after it was day, I was rising and putting on my Clothes in a sober manner, and in Meekness said, Surely I should not be here; and my Wife then laying hand on me, easily perswaded me, but I said, I Know not who I am with; neither did I know her Voice at that time: And some time after, having endured much, I told she and my Family (with Heaviness and Tears) That I was not able to enduce it any longer; and that I had abode with them in the way of the World so long as possible I could; and that I must give up my Life to serve the Lord; desiring them (with Tears) to be Content, and in what I could, I should be careful for their good as ever I was: And this is true, and but little of what might be written.

For another time formerly, the Light of Christ in me (which then I knew not) did so condemn me, and judge and trouble me in secret, that it brought Sickness upon me, and thereby being Weak, expecting I should dye, I was then much troubled, and it lay much upon my Conscience at that time, that I had not in the time of my Health gone to the Steeple-house, and in the fear of the Lord warned all People to Repent; and I was then much grieved because I thought I should dye, and not first in that thing discharge my Conscience.

And so, though I might write much, by what is written may appear to the Meek and Sober-minded, that the Lord did not only call, but also thrust me forth of the World into his Harvest, and this was of God, and the operation of his powerful Word, which called me out of the World, and Hundreds since, by the Word of his Power through me have been gathered out of the Way of the World, and received the Earnest of the Rest Eternal, and many converted unto God, and Wo be unto them who open∣ly oppose me in this the Lords Work I now am in, which he hath

thus called me unto; and let none think that I did wilfully neg∣lect my outward Employment; neither let any one think, that I left my Family, as not regarding them, nor that I stay much out of that Country for any By-end; for the words are true, A Pro∣phet is not without Honour, save in his own Country, and in his own House; and those that did since seek to stop my Mouth, did not well.