That God after terrors usually sends in comfort and refreshings. God having terrified Elijah by a mighty rushing wind (in the vision before noted) by an Earthquake which brake the Rocks, and by a fire: then comes (as here in the Text) a still small voice, a voice of silence, and God was in that voice. It is put as a principal distinction amongst the Ancients, to ⟨p. 105⟩know, whether a revelation were from a good Angel or from a bad Angel. When a revelation was made by a good Angel, though he filled the heart with fear, at the beginning of his speech, yet he gave comfort in the end, and closed with in consolation. We may observe in those revelations such heartening, cheering language as this, Be not afraid, be of good cheer; so to Daniel, so to John, so to Zechariah, so to Mary, so to Gideon. But when a revelation was made by an evil Angel, or by a Witch, as it filled the hearers with fear, so it left them full of fear, it wounded them with terrors, and it applied no cure, no plaster, nothing medicinable to heal those terrors. We find, indeed, (1 Sam. 28) that when Saul consulted with the Witch of Endor, as soon as the Spirit appeared, it is said, that the Witch her self was afraid, and there is no mention made of Sauls being afraid, at the first; so that Saul falls a comforting the Witch, and said to her, be not afraid: She was afraid, not of the Spirit that appeared, but of Saul, because he had made a law against Witches; and hence Saul comforts her, in assurance of impunity, notwithstanding that sin, both against the law of God, and his own. But you shall find in how sad a condition Saul himself was, before the Devil had done with him; for, as soon as Saul heard the tidings delivered by that personated Samuel, he fell into a shaking fit, and was as one astonished and dead: hanging upon the rack of these torments, the Devil left him; there was no word of comfort, no sweet still musical voice to revive and fetch him again, but away packs the wicked Spirit, and leaves him overwhelmed with sorrow. And then (instead of a better, surely he could not have a worse) the poor Witch comes to comfort and counsel him. They who refuse counsel from the Prophets of God may at last be forced to receive all their comfort from a Witch, a Prophet or Prophetess of the Devil.
That God after terrours usually sends in comfort and refreshings. God having terrified Elijah by a mighty rushing winde (in the vision before noted) by an Earthquake which brake the Rocks, and by a fire: then comes (as here in the Text) a still small voice, a voice of silence, and God was in that voice. It is put as a principall distinction amongst the Ancients, to ⟨p. 105⟩know, whether a revelation were from a good Angel or from a bad Angel. When a revelation was made by a good Angel, though he fill'd the heart with fear, at the beginning of his speech, yet he gave comfort in the end, and closed with in consolation. We may observe in those revelations such heartning, chearing language as this, Be not afraid, be of good chear; so to Daniel, so to John, so to Zechariah, so to Mary, so to Gideon. But when a revelation was made by an evill Angel, or by a Witch, as it filled the hearers with feare, so it left them full of feare, it wounded them with terrours, and it applyed no cure, no playster, nothing medicinable to heale those terrours. We finde, indeed, (1 Sam. 28) that when Saul consulted with the Witch of Endor, as soon as the Spirit appeared, it is said, that the Witch her selfe was afraid, and there is no mention made of Sauls being afraid, at the first; so that Saul fals a comforting the Witch, and said to her, be not afraid: She was afraid, not of the Spirit that appeared, but of Saul, because he had made a law against Witches; and hence Saul comforts her, in assurance of impunity, notwithstanding that sinne, both against the law of God, and his own. But you shall finde in how sad a condition Saul himselfe was, before the Devill had done with him; for, as soon as Saul heard the tydings delivered by that personated Samuel, he fell into a shaking fit, and was as one astonished and dead: hanging upon the rack of these torments, the Devill left him; there was no word of comfort, no sweet still musicall voice to revive and fetch him againe, but away packs the wicked Spirit, and leaves him overwhelm'd with sorrow. And then (instead of a better, surely he could not have a worse) the poor Witch comes to comfort and counsell him. They who refuse counsell from the Prophets of God may at last be forced to receive all their comfort from a Witch, a Prophet or Prophetesse of the Devill.
