Chapter Ten of the Third Decade
On the permitted and continual warfare of demons against human beings, concerning which six little questions will be resolved
Question One of Chapter Ten of the Third Decade
Whether evil spirits or evil human beings have greater power over human beings
It is asked to whom greater power over human beings has been granted: to evil spirits or to evil human beings.
It is answered that greater power has been permitted to evil human beings over good and evil human beings than has been permitted to demons over the same.
This conclusion is proved by arguments.
First, thus. Experience has taught and teaches that God has permitted, and still permits, tyrants and other wicked human beings at their pleasure to afflict and trouble good and excellent human beings with martyrdom, and finally to kill them whenever and however they wished. In the common course, this has not been permitted in the same manner to demons over human beings. Otherwise, as soon as they perceived anyone to be in mortal sin, they would kill him, knowing that human beings who die in mortal guilt are damned.
Second, thus. A human being can better guard and defend himself against a human enemy than against a demonic enemy, since the former is a visible enemy and the latter an invisible one. For this reason, it is reasonable that not so much power has been permitted to demons over human beings as to human beings over the same.
Third, because a demon is a more dangerous enemy to a human being than is a human being. For a demon principally desires to take away the goods of the soul—namely, spiritual and moral goods—without which beatitude cannot be attained. A human enemy, however, for the most part seeks to take away the goods of fortune or of nature. Therefore human enemies are less to be feared than demons, because, although they can kill the body, they nevertheless cannot kill the soul as demons can.
Fourth, thus. With regard to the present state of the world, or the course of this time and the things which are under it, God so administers free and nonfree things that he permits them to possess their own motions, as Augustine says. Demons, however, are not subject to the current state of this world, since they are damned. Therefore they cannot exercise every effort against human beings of another state, whereas human beings may lawfully strive against them to the utmost of their powers, since both are of the same state.
These things are from Henry upon Genesis.