CHAP. IV.
Let the Reader observe when King Saul asked the Witch of Endor, What Form the Gods was of, she had seen ascend out of the Earth; The Woman answered and said, An old Man with a Mantle, &c. But Saul saw nothing but as the Woman told him, and Saul believed her Words, and bowed himself to the Ground.——Now mind the 15th Verse, Samuel said to Saul, why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up; the Meaning is this, now the Witch had full Power over Saul, so that he did really believe the Witch, that she had indeed raised up Samuel, though he saw nothing——yet the Fear of being destroyed by the Philistines, and the Belief of the Woman's Words, Samuel began to speak in Saul's Conscience; there came into Saul's Mind the Words which Samuel had told him in his Life-time.——So that these was no speaking to Saul by Samuel, but the Reasonings of Saul's own Heart; and these Voices that Samuel spake to Saul, they were motional Voices that did arise in Saul's own Heart.——For an accusing Conscience will speak dreadful Voices in the Conscience; as the Blood of Abel cried for Vengeance in Cain's Conscience, and the Saints that were slain under the Altar; cried for Vengeance upon those that shed their Blood; so that a sinful Conscience will have Voices enough to torment him, though God himself, nor Prophet without him, doth never speak unto him. A guilty Conscience will speak with a motional Voice their great Terror and Torment, which is greater than can be born, as it was with Cain, Saul, and Judas. Yea, it was Fear, and the Remembrance of Saul's Disobedience to Samuel's Words in his Life-time, this did arise afresh in Saul's Mind, and spake with motional Voices in Saul's Conscience, accusing him for his Disobedience to Samuel's Words.
For the Remembrance of Samuel's Words, may be said to disquiet Samuel; for Samuel's Words were buried in Saul's Conscience.
But now, by his going to enquire of a Witch, Samuel is revived again in Saul's Mind, and there Samuel speaks Fear, Wrath, and Terror; for Samuel's Words spake in Saul's Conscience one motional Voice, and the Guilt of Saul's Disobedience spake Fear and Horror in Saul's Conscience, this was a motional Voice in Saul's Conscience also; for the Voice of Truth will speak, or the Voice of Obedience, and the Voice of Sin and Disobedience will speak in Man's Conscience, as if they were two distinct Spirits.
This many guilty Consciences can witness, as we may read by Cain that killed his Brother, and Judas that betrayed his Lord, and many others who hath been guilty of the like Crimes.
So that the Witch did raise no Samuel, nor Spirit, but a meer Shadow it was the Witch saw, which she could raise by her Art; neither was there any Samuel or Spirit not at all that did speak to Saul, but that motional Voice in Saul's Conscience as aforesaid.
And in this Sense Samuel may be said to be disquieted; for if Saul had never gone to the Witch to enquire of her, Samuel's Words had been quiet in Saul; neither would Saul have had such Reasonings in himself, nor have been so sensible of the Worm of his Conscience.
So that there was no Voice of Samuel spoke unto Saul, but a motional Voice in Saul's own Mind or Conscience; his Fear and his Disobedience, and what Samuel had told him before, these all speaking with Voices in his wounded Conscience. Samuel's Words spake one Voice, and his own Disobedience spake another; so that the Witch of Endor did neither raise Samuel, but only made the King believe she did, neither did Samuel speak to the King but as aforesaid.
For the Kingdom being rent out of his Hands, his Sons being destroyed, and all other Threatnings of Samuel, they came into Saul's Mind afresh with strong Motions, so that they became as Voices in Saul's Heart, as if Samuel had spake to the hearing of the Ear: For there was no Samuel raised, nor no Samuel spake, but what was motional in the Mind of Saul, and what did visionally appear unto the Witch, which was a meer Shadow which she could produce by her Witchcraft-Art, to all those that were more ignorant than her self, or had Faith in her Power.