Chapter Eight of the Third Decade
On the power and weakness of demons, concerning which five little questions will be resolved
Question One of Chapter Eight of the Third Decade
Whether demons can be compelled by some natural art to give oracles to human beings
It is asked whether demons can be compelled by a human being, through some natural art already discovered or capable of being discovered—through a combination of words, characters, or the natural powers of things—to enter some place, such as a vial or a stone image, to remain fixed there, and to give responses to those who consult them.
To this it first appears that one must respond affirmatively. For by experience, the mother of the sciences, we have learned and heard that certain persons had, and still have, demons enclosed in vials and statues, as in the time of the idols and of idolaters, and that demons constrained by those same persons gave responses to those who sought them.
To elucidate this question they set down six conclusions.
The first, which is the negative part of the question, is true.
It is proved because, if an equal does not prevail over an equal, much less can an inferior prevail over a superior or a weaker over a more powerful being. But every human being is naturally inferior to and weaker than all angels and demons. Indeed, according to Christ’s saying, “He who is lesser among the angels is greater than every human being.” Therefore a human being will not be able to compel or constrain demons to enter and remain fixed somewhere.
For this reason Job 41 says: “There is no power upon earth which may be compared with him,” that is, with the devil.
Likewise, if a human being cannot by any art—whether of words, characters, herbs, or stones—compel another human being to enter some determinate place and remain there immovably until he is given leave, even though the human being is a rational animal directly subject according to his composition and natural condition to the celestial bodies and the elements and to their accidents—namely, influences, impressions, alterations, and transmutations—then much less will a human being be able to compel the devil, who according to his composition is not directly subject to the celestial bodies, their influences, or their accidents.
The second conclusion is this. If there is, or ever was, among human beings an art of compelling demons or evil spirits by words, characters, or any other things, they did not receive that art from demons.
This conclusion is proved thus. It is not probable that most proud demons would wish to teach human beings a means by which they themselves could be reduced to servitude under human beings, captured, imprisoned, enclosed, or expelled at a human being’s pleasure, whenever and wherever human beings wished.
The third conclusion is this. If demons are sometimes compelled or constrained to enter or depart through words, characters, and so forth, this is done either by the supreme God or by good angels. Or perhaps inferior demons are compelled to this or that by superior and more powerful demons.
Or certainly demons sometimes pretend to be compelled to things of this kind through human beings, although they come spontaneously and willingly so that they may more easily crush those who believe. For, as Augustine says, demons furnish a benefit for no other reason than so that those who believe them may secretly perish in the end.
The fourth conclusion is this. If there is, or ever was, among human beings some art of constraining or compelling demons through exorcisms, a combination, or the application of any other things, that art was and is only ministerial with respect to God or good spirits.
Thus it is efficacious from a secret divine covenant: whenever such a human being pronounces such an exorcism in such a manner and with such an intention, or employs such ceremonies, the malign spirits are constrained or compelled by God himself or by his angels authoritatively, while the exorcist exists only as a minister in his own manner.
The fifth conclusion is this. In the Christian religion, it is superstitious to believe that there is some art of constraining demons or that some exorcism possesses an inherent efficacy for expelling or constraining them.
This is proved because neither in the primitive Church nor in the modern churches is any proper and determinate exorcism for expelling demons from possessed human beings or constraining them found except apocryphally and doubtfully.
Indeed, the Savior said in Matthew 17: “This kind”—namely, of demons—“is not cast out except by prayer and fasting.”
It has nevertheless been granted to certain persons—and was granted particularly through their devotion and prayers, which God hears—that such persons, through invocation of the names of God and the saints, constrain and expel demons.
I do not intend by this to derogate from the proper customs and rites of the Holy Roman Church, which permits, and everywhere employs, certain approved exorcisms and adjurations to expel demons—not artfully or superstitiously, but by supplication and authoritatively.
The sixth conclusion is this. The art of enclosing demons in images or vials, of which Hermes spoke, is not properly an art but a certain constitution, decree, or tacit or express pact between lost human beings and demons most covetous of divine honor.
It is effective if a human being possesses a firm faith that they are real, or are gods who ought to be worshiped with divine honor and who have power to benefit and harm human beings; and if, with such faith, a human being makes some image of a human being or of any animal and consecrates it with such words, characters or figures, fumigations, anointings, and so forth.
Then, without doubt, once such a consecration is complete, some spirit will enter that image and will give responses from it to deceived human beings who consult it.
Demons revealed this institution and decree to certain lost human beings through inspiration or in some other manner whatsoever, so that human beings would believe they had discovered such an art.
Thus these persons, having abandoned the law of God, believed and observed those laws of demons. By a just judgment they were, and are, forsaken and become servants of the devil, so that he may hold them in his service and entice others through them. Very often he performs for the wishes of such servants of his whatever they desire.
Therefore Augustine spoke well in Book XXI of The City of God, chapter 6: “In order that demons may be enticed by human beings to inhabit some place, they first seduce them by most crafty cunning, either by inspiring hidden poison into their hearts or by appearing in deceitful friendships; and they make their few disciples the teachers of a great many. For it could not at first have been learned, unless they taught it, what each demon desires, what he abhors, or by what divine name he is aided or compelled.” Thus he.
Master Henry concludes: You do not, therefore, compel him necromantically or magically, nor do you hold him in chains, as you suppose. But hold this as certain: he pretends that he is captured so that he may capture you; that he is bound so that he may bind you; that he is subjected to your command so that he may subject you to himself; and that he is enclosed by you so that you may finally be enclosed for him. He pretends that he is bound by your art to a stone or an image so that he may lead you, bound by the cords of sins, to hell.
Through these things the reply to the first argument is evident.
These things are from Henry of Assia upon Genesis.
Addition
You have more in Eusebius, Book V of The Preparation for the Gospel, chapter 8, where he treats how demons are compelled by human beings. See also chapters 7, 8, and 10 of the same book.