Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem unlawful to adjure the demons. Origen says (Tract. xxxv, super Matth.): "To adjure the demons is not accordance with the power given by our Saviour: for this is a Jewish practice." Now rather than imitate the rites of the Jews, we should use the power given by Christ. Therefore it is not lawful to adjure the demons.

Objection 2: Further, many make use of necromantic incantations when invoking the demons by something Divine: and this is an adjuration. Therefore, if it be lawful to adjure the demons, it is lawful to make use of necromantic incantations, which is evidently false. Therefore the antecedent is false also.

Objection 3: Further, whoever adjures a person, by that very fact associates himself with him. Now it is not lawful to have fellowship with the demons, according to 1 Cor. 10:20, "I would not that you should be made partakers with devils." Therefore it is not lawful to adjure the demons.

On the contrary, It is written (Mk. 16:17): "In My name they shall cast out devils." Now to induce anyone to do a certain thing for the sake of God's name is to adjure. Therefore it is lawful to adjure the demons.

I answer that, As stated in the preceding article, there are two ways of adjuring: one by way of prayer or inducement through reverence of some holy thing: the other by way of compulsion. In the first way it is not lawful to adjure the demons because such a way seems to savor of benevolence or friendship, which it is unlawful to bear towards the demons. As to the second kind of adjuration, which is by compulsion, we may lawfully use it for some purposes, and not for others. For during the course of this life the demons are our adversaries: and their actions are not subject to our disposal but to that of God and the holy angels, because, as Augustine says (De Trin. iii, 4), "the rebel spirit is ruled by the just spirit." Accordingly we may repulse the demons, as being our enemies, by adjuring them through the power of God's name, lest they do us harm of soul or body, in accord with the Divine power given by Christ, as recorded by Lk. 10:19: "Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you."

It is not, however, lawful to adjure them for the purpose of learning something from them, or of obtaining something through them, for this would amount to holding fellowship with them: except perhaps when certain holy men, by special instinct or Divine revelation, make use of the demons' actions in order to obtain certain results: thus we read of the Blessed James that he caused Hermogenes to be brought to him, by the instrumentality of the demons.

Reply to Objection 1: Origen is speaking of adjuration made, not authoritatively by way of compulsion, but rather by way of a friendly appeal.

Reply to Objection 2: Necromancers adjure and invoke the demons in order to obtain or learn something from them: and this is unlawful, as stated above. Wherefore Chrysostom, commenting on our Lord's words to the unclean spirit (Mk. 1:25), "Speak no more, and go out of the man," says: "A salutary teaching is given us here, lest we believe the demons, however much they speak the truth."

Reply to Objection 3: This argument considers the adjuration whereby the demon's help is besought in doing or learning something: for this savors of fellowship with them. On the other hand, to repulse the demons by adjuring them, is to sever oneself from their fellowship.

Articulus 2

Argumentum 1

Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non liceat Daemones adiurare.

Dicit enim Origenes, super Matth., non est secundum potestatem datam a salvatore adiurare Daemonia, Iudaicum enim est hoc.

Non autem debemus Iudaeorum ritus imitari, sed potius uti potestate a christo data. Ergo non est licitum Daemones adiurare.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, multi nigromanticis incantationibus Daemones per aliquid divinum invocant, quod est adiurare. Si igitur licitum est Daemones adiurare, licitum est nigromanticis incantationibus uti.

Quod patet esse falsum. Ergo et primum.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, quicumque adiurat aliquem, ex hoc ipso aliquam societatem cum ipso facit. Sed non licet cum Daemonibus societatem facere, secundum illud I Cor. X, nolo vos socios fieri Daemoniorum.

Ergo non licet Daemones adiurare.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod dicitur Marc. Ult., in nomine meo Daemonia eiicient.

Sed inducere alium ad aliquid agendum propter nomen divinum, hoc est adiurare. Ergo licitum est Daemones adiurare.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut dictum est, duplex est adiurandi modus, unus quidem per modum deprecationis vel inductionis ob reverentiam alicuius sacri; alius autem per modum compulsionis. Primo autem modo non licet Daemones adiurare, quia ille modus adiurandi videtur ad quandam benevolentiam vel amicitiam pertinere, qua non licet ad Daemones uti. Secundo autem adiurationis modo, qui est per compulsionem, licet nobis ad aliquid uti, et ad aliquid non licet. Daemones enim in cursu huius vitae nobis adversarii constituuntur, non autem eorum actus nostrae dispositioni subduntur, sed dispositioni divinae et sanctorum Angelorum; quia, ut Augustinus dicit, in III de Trin., spiritus desertor regitur per spiritum iustum.

Possumus ergo Daemones, adiurando, per virtutem divini nominis tanquam inimicos repellere, ne nobis noceant vel spiritualiter vel corporaliter, secundum potestatem datam a christo, secundum illud Luc. X, ecce, dedi vobis potestatem calcandi supra serpentes et scorpiones, et supra omnem virtutem inimici, et nihil vobis nocebit.

Non tamen licitum est eos adiurare ad aliquid ab eis addiscendum, vel etiam ad aliquid per eos obtinendum, quia hoc pertineret ad aliquam societatem cum ipsis habendam, nisi forte ex speciali instinctu vel revelatione divina, aliqui sancti ad aliquos effectus Daemonum operatione utantur; sicut legitur de beato Iacobo quod per Daemones fecit Hermogenem ad se adduci.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod Origenes loquitur de adiuratione quae non fit protestative per modum compulsionis, sed magis per modum cuiusdam benevolae deprecationis.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod nigromantici utuntur adiurationibus et invocationibus Daemonum ad aliquid ab eis adipiscendum vel addiscendum, et hoc est illicitum, ut dictum est.

Unde chrysostomus dicit, Marc. I, exponens illud verbum domini, quod spiritui immundo dixit, obmutesce, et exi de homine, salutiferum hic nobis dogma datur, ne credamus Daemonibus, quantumcumque denuntient veritatem.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod ratio illa procedit de adiuratione qua imploratur auxilium Daemonum ad aliquid agendum vel cognoscendum, hoc enim videtur ad quandam societatem pertinere.

Sed quod aliquis adiurando Daemones repellat, hoc est ab eorum societate recedere.