apparent in metals where, more than in other bodies, it would seem
there should be none; through a perfect microscope the pores of metals
are discerned, with their different shapes. Now, those animals might,
through the pores, creep into, and thus penetrate any other bodies,
although such pores were impervious to other liquors or material
spirits, of wine, ammoniacal salt, or the like, because their bodies
would be much more subtle than those liquors. However, notwithstanding
many Angels may abide together on the same material spot, and even
confine themselves in a lesser and lesser space, though not infinitely,
as is shown by Scott, yet it were rash to ascribe the same power to
those animals; for, their bodies are determined in substance and
impervious to each other; and if two glorious bodies cannot abide
together on the same spot, though a glorious and a non glorious one
may do so, according to some Doctors, much less would it be possible
for the bodies of those animals, which are indeed subtile, yet do not
attain to the subtility of the glorious body. As regards their power
of extension or compression, we may instance the case of air, which,
rarefied and condensed, occupies more or less room, and may even, by
artificial means, be compressed into a narrower space than would be
naturally due to its volume; as is seen with those large balls which,
for amusement, one inflates by means of a blow-pipe or tube: air, being
forced into them and compressed, is held in larger quantity than is
warranted by the capacity of the ball. Similarly the bodies of the
animals we are speaking of might, by their natural virtue, extend to
a larger space, not exceeding however their own substance; they might
also contract, but not beyond the determined space due to that same
substance. And, considering that of their number, as with men, some
would be tall and some short, it were proper that the tall should be
able to extend more than the short, and the short to contract more than
the tall.
61. Septima interrogatio est, an hujusmodi animalia in peccato
originali nascerentur, et a Christo Domino fuissent redempta; an ipsis
conferretur gratia, et per quæ sacramenta; sub qua lege viverent, et an
beatitudinis et damnationis essent capacia?
61. Seventh question: Would those animals be born in original sin,
and have been redeemed by the Lord Christ? Would the grace have been
conferred upon them and through what sacraments? Under what law would
they live, and would they be capable of beatitude and damnation?
62. Respondeo, quod articulus Fidei est, quod Christus Dominus pro
universa creatura rationali gratiam et gloriam meruit. Pariter
articulus Fidei est, quod Creaturæ rationali gloria non confertur nisi
præcedat in ea gratia, quæ est dispositio ad gloriam. Similis articulus
est quod gloria non confertur nisi per merita. Hæc vero fundantur in
observantia perfecta mandatorum Dei adimpleta per gratiam. Ex his
satis fit positis interrogationibus. Incertum est an tales Creaturæ
originaliter peccavissent, necne. Certum tamen est, quod si ipsarum
Prothoparens peccasset, sicut peccavit Adam, ipsius descendentes in
peccato originali nascerentur, quemadmodum nascuntur homines. Et
quia Deus nunquam reliquit Creaturam rationalem sine remedio, dum
ipsa est in via; si hujusmodi creaturæ in peccato originali, aut
actuali inficerentur, Deus providisset illis de remedio, sed quale
sit, an fecisset, noverit Deus, noverint ipsæ. Hoc certum est, si
inter ipsas essent eadem, aut alia sacramenta, ac sunt in Ecclesia
humana militanti, ipsa habuissent, et institutionem, et efficaciam a
meritis Jesu Christi, qui omnium creaturarum rationalium Redemptor
et Satisfactor universalis est. Convenientissimum pariter, immo
necessarium esset quod sub aliqua lege a Deo sibi data viverent, ut per
ipsius observantiam possent sibi beatitudinem mereri; quænam autem lex
fuisset, an naturalis tantum, aut scripta, Mosaica, aut Evangelica,
aut alia ab his omnibus differens, prout Deo placuisset, hoc nobis
incognitum. Quoquomodo autem fuisset, nulla resultaret repugnantia
possibilitatem talium creaturarum excludens.
62. I reply: It is an article of belief that Christ has merited grace
and glory for all rational creatures without exception. It is also an
article of belief that glory is not conferred on a rational creature
until such creature has been previously endowed with grace, which
is the disposition to glory. According to a like article, glory is
conferred but by merits. Now, those merits are grounded on the perfect
observance of the commands of God, which is accomplished through grace.
The above questions are thus solved. Whether those creatures did or did
not sin originally is uncertain. It is clear, however, that if their
first Parent had sinned as Adam sinned, his descent would be born in
original sin, as men are born. And, as God never leaves a rational
creature without a remedy, so long as it treads the way, if those
creatures were infected with original or with actual sin, God would
have provided them with a remedy; but whether it is the case, and of
what kind is the remedy, is a secret between God and them. Surely, if
they had sacraments identical with or different from those in use in
the human Church militant, for the institution and efficacy thereof
they would be indebted to the merits of Jesus-Christ, the Redeemer and
universal Atoner of all rational creatures. It would likewise be highly
proper, nay necessary, that they should live under some law given them
by God, and through the observance of which they might merit beatitude;
but what would be that law, whether merely natural or written, Mosaic
or Evangelical, or different from all these and specially instituted
by God, that we are ignorant of. Whatever it might be though, there
would follow no objection exclusive of the possible existence of such
creatures.
63. Unicum porro argumentum, et quidem satis debile post longam
meditationem mihi subit contra talium creaturarum possibilitatem:
et est quod si tales creaturæ in Mundo existerent, de ipsis notitia
aliqua tradita fuisset a Philosophis, Sacra Scriptura, Traditione
Ecclesiastica, aut Sanctis Patribus; quod cum non fuerit, tales
creaturas minime possibiles esse concludendum est.
63. The only argument, and that a rather lame one, which long
meditations has suggested to me against the possibility of such
creatures, is that, if they really existed in the World, we should
find them mentioned somewhere by Philosophers, Holy Scripture,
Ecclesiastical Tradition, or the Holy Fathers; such not being the case,
their utter impossibility should be inferred.
64. Sed hoc argumentum, quod revera magis pulsat existentiam, quam
possibilitatem illarum, facili negotio solvitur ex iis quæ præmissimus
supra nº 41. et 42. Argumentum enim ab auctoritate negativa non tenet.
Præterquam quod falsum est, quod de illis notitiam non tradiderint
tum Philosophi, tum Scriptura, tum Patres. Plato siquidem, ut refert
Apuleius =de Deo Socratis= et Plutarchus =de Isid.= apud Baronem,
=Scot. Defens.=, tom. 9. =Apparat.= p. 1. fol. 2., voluit Dæmones
esse animalia genere, animo passiva, mente rationalia, corpore aerea,
tempore æterna: creaturasque istas nomine =Dæmonum= intitulavit; quod
tamen nomen non male sonat ex se: importat enim =plenum sapientia=;
unde cum Diabolum (Angelum nempe malum) volunt auctores exprimere,
non simpliciter Dæmonem sed =Cacodæmonem= vocant: sicut =Eudæmonem=,
quando bonum Angelum volunt intelligi. Similiter in Scriptura Sacra et
Patribus, de dictis creaturis habetur mentio, et de hoc infra dicemus.
64. But that argument which, in fact, calls in question their existence
rather than their possibility, is easily disposed of by our premises,
Nrs 41 and 42; for no argument can stand in virtue of a negative
authority. Besides, it is not correct to assert that neither the
Philosophers, nor the Scriptures, nor the Fathers have handed down
any notion of them. Plato, as is reported by Apuleius (_The Demon of
Socrates_) and Plutarch (_Isis and Osiris_), declared that Demons were
beings of the animal kind, passive souls, rational intelligences,
aerial bodies, everlasting; and he gave them the name of _Demons_,
which of itself is nowise offensive, since it means _replete with
wisdom_; so that, when authors allude to the Devil (or Evil Angel),
they do not merely call him Demon, but _Cacodemon_, and say likewise
_Eudemon_, when speaking of a good Angel. Those creatures are also
mentioned in Scripture and by the Fathers, as shall be said hereafter.
65. Stabilita huc usque talium creaturarum possibilitate, ad
earumdem existentiam probandam descendamus. Supposita tot historiarum
veritate de coitu hujusmodi Incuborum et Succuborum cum hominibus et
brutis, ita ut hoc negare impudentia videatur, ut ait D. Augustinus
quem dedimus supra nº 10., ita arguo: Ubi reperitur propria passio
sensus, ibidem necessario reperitur sensus ipse, cum juxta principia
philosophica propria passio fluat a natura, sive ubi reperiuntur
actiones, seu operationes sensus, ibidem reperitur sensus ipse, cum
operationes et actiones sint a forma. Atqui in hujusmodi Incubis aut
Succubis, sunt actiones, operationes, ac propriæ passiones, quæ sunt a
sensibus; ergo in iisdem reperitur sensus: sed sensus reperiri nequit
nisi adsint organa composita, nempe ex potentia animæ et determinata
parte corporis: ergo in iisdem reperiuntur corpus et anima; erunt
igitur animalia: sed etiam in ipsis et ab ipsis sunt actiones, et
operationes animæ rationalis: ergo eorum anima erit rationalis: et ita
de primo ad ultimum tales Incubi sunt animalia rationalia.
65. Now that we have proved that those creatures are possible, let us
go a step further, and show that they exist. Taking for granted the
truth of the recitals concerning the intercourse of Incubi and Succubi
with men and beasts, recitals so numerous that it would look like
impudence to deny the fact, as is said by St Austin, whose testimony
is given above (Nr 10), I argue: Where the peculiar passion of the
sense is found, there also, of necessity, is the sense itself; for,
according to the principles of philosophy, the peculiar passion flows
from nature, that is to say; that, where the acts and operations of
the sense are found, there also is the sense, the operations and acts
being but its external form. Now, those Incubi and Succubi present
acts, operations, peculiar passions, which spring from the senses; they
are therefore endowed with senses. But senses cannot exist without
concomitant composite organs, without a combination of soul and body.
Incubi and Succubi have therefore body and soul, and, consequentially,
are animals; but their acts and operations are also those of a rational
soul; their soul is therefore rational; and thus, from first to last,
they are rational animals.
66. Minor probatur quoad singulas ejus partes. Passio siquidem
appetitiva coitus est passio sensus; mœror, ac tristitia, ac iracundia
et furor ex coitu denegato passiones sensus sunt, ut patet in quibusvis
animalibus; generatio per coitum est operatio sensus, ut notum est.
Hæc porro omnia in Incubis sunt: ut enim probavimus supra a nº 25. et
seq., ipsi coitum muliebrem, et quandoque virilem appetunt, tristantur,
et furunt, ut amantes, amentes, si ipsis denegetur; coeunt perfecte et
quandoque generant. Concludendum ergo quod polleant sensu, et proinde
corpore; unde inferendum etiam perfecta animalia esse. Pariter clausis
ostiis ac fenestris intrant ubivis locorum: igitur ipsorum corpus
tenue est; item futura prænoscunt, annuntiant, componunt, ac dividunt;
quæ operationes sunt propriæ animæ rationalis: ergo anima rationali
pollent; et ita sunt vera animalia rationalia.
Respondent communiter Doctores, quod malus Dæmon est ille qui tales
impudicitias operatur, quod passiones, nempe amorem, tristitiamque
simulat ex coitu denegato, ut animas ad peccandum alliciat, et eas
perdat; et si coit, et generat, hoc est ex semine, et in corpore
alieno, ut dictum fuit supra nº 24.
66. Our minor is easy of demonstration in each of its parts. And
indeed, the appetitive passion of coition is a sensual passion; the
grief, sadness, wrath, rage, occasioned by the denial of coition, are
sensual passions, as is seen with all animals; generation through
coition is evidently a sensual operation. Now, all that happens with
Incubi, as has been shown above: they incite women, sometimes even men;
if denied, they sadden and storm, like lovers: _amantes, amentes_; they
perfectly practice coition, and sometimes beget. It must therefore be
inferred that they have senses, and consequently a body; consequently
also, that they are perfect animals. More than that: with closed doors
and windows they enter wherever they please: their body is therefore
slender; they foreknow and foretell the future, compose and divide, all
which operations are proper to a rational soul; they therefore possess
a rational soul and are, in sooth, rational animals.
Doctors generally retort that it is the Evil Spirit that perpetrates
those impure acts, simulates passions, love, grief at the denial of
coition, in order to entice souls to sin and to undo them; and that,
if he copulates and begets, it is with assumed sperm and body, as
aforesaid (Nr 24).
67. Sed contra Incubi nonnulli rem habent cum equis, equabus,
aliisque etiam brutis, quæ si coitum adversentur, male ab ipsis
tractantur, ut quotidiana constat experientia; sed in istis cessat
ratio adducta, nempe quod fingat appetitum coitus, ut animas perdat,
cum anima brutorum damnationis æternæ sit incapax. Præterea amoris et
iræ passiones in ipso contrarios effectus reales producunt. Si enim
aut mulier aut brutum amatum illis morem gerant, optime ab Incubis
tractantur; viceversa pessime habentur, si ex denegato coitu irascantur
et furant; et hoc firmatur quotidiana experientia; ergo in ipsis sunt
veræ passiones sensus. Insuper mali Dæmones, ac incorporei, qui rem
habent cum Sagis et Maleficis, ipsas cogunt ad eorum adorationem,
ad denegandam Fidem Orthodoxam, ad maleficia et scelera enormia
perpetranda tanquam pensum infamis coitus, ut supra nº 11. dictum
fuit: nihil horum prætendunt Incubi, ergo mali Dæmones non sunt.
Ulterius malus Dæmon, ut ex Peltano et Thyreo scribit Guaccius,
=Compend. Malef.= lib. 1. c. 19. fol. 128., ad prolationem nominis Jesu
aut Mariæ, ad formationem signi Crucis, ad approximationem sacrarum
Reliquiarum, sive rerum benedictarum, et ad exorcismos, adjurationes,
aut præcepta sacerdotum, aut fugit aut pavet, concutiturque, et
stridet, ut conspicitur quotidie in energumenis, et constat ex
tot historiis, quas recitat Guaccius, ex quibus habetur, quod in
nocturnis ludis Sagarum facto ab aliquo assistentium signo Crucis, aut
pronuntiato nomine Jesu, Diaboli et secum Sagæ omnes disparuerunt.
Sed Incubi ad supradicta nec fugiunt, nec pavent, quandoque cachinnis
exorcismos excipiunt, et quandoque ipsos Exorcistas cædunt, et sacras
vestes discerpunt. Quod si mali Dæmones, utpote a D. N. J. C. domiti,
ad ipsius nomen, Crucem, et res sacras pavent: boni autem Angeli
eisdem rebus gaudent, non tamen homines ad peccata et Dei offensam
sollicitant: Incubi vero sacra non timent, et ad peccata provocant,
convincitur ipsos nec malos Dæmones, nec bonos Angelos esse; sed patet,
quod nec homines sunt, cum tamen ratione utantur. Quid ergo erunt? Si
in termino sunt, et simplices spiritus sunt, erunt aut damnati aut
beati: non enim in bona Theologia dantur puri spiritus viatores. Si
damnati, nomen et Crucem Christi revererentur; si beati, homines ad
peccandum non provocarent; ergo aliud erunt a puris spiritus; et sic
erunt corporati, et viatores.
67. But then, there are Incubi that have to do with horses, mares and
other beasts, and, as shown by every day experience, ill-treat them if
rebel to coition; yet, in those cases, it can no longer be adduced
that the Demon simulates the appetite for coition in order to bring
about the ruin of souls, since those of beasts are not capable of
everlasting damnation. Besides, love and wrath with them are productive
of quite opposite effects. For, if the loved woman or beast humours
them, those Incubi behave very well; on the contrary, they use them
most savagely when irritated and enraged by a denial of coition: this
is amply proved by daily experience: those Incubi therefore have
truly sexual passions. Besides, the Evil Spirits, the incorporeal
Demons which have to do with Sorceresses and Witches, constrain them
to Demon-Worship, to the abjuration of the Orthodox Faith, to the
commission of enchantments and foul crimes, as preliminary conditions
to the infamous intercourse, as has been above-stated (Nr 11); now,
Incubi pretend to nothing of the kind: they are therefore no Evil
Spirits. Lastly, as written by Guaccius, at the mere utterance of the
name of Jesus or Mary, at the sign of the Cross, the approach of Holy
Relics or consecrated objects, at exorcisms, adjurations or priestly
injunctions, the Evil Demon either shudders and takes to flight, or
is agitated and howls, as is daily seen with energumens and is shown
by numerous narratives of Guaccius concerning the nightly revels of
Witches, where, at a sign of the Cross or the name of Jesus said by
one of the assistants, Devils and Witches all vanish together. Incubi,
on the contrary, stand all those ordeals without taking to flight or
showing the least fear; sometimes even they laugh at exorcisms, strike
the Exorcists themselves, and rend the sacred vestments. Now, if the
evil Demons, subdued by our Lord Jesus-Christ, are stricken with fear
by his name, the Cross and the holy things; if, on the other hand, the
good Angels rejoice at those same things, without however inciting men
to sin nor to give offense to God, whilst the Incubi, without having
any dread of the holy things, provoke to sin, it is clear that they are
neither evil Demons nor good Angels; but it is clear also that they
are not men, though endowed with reason. What then should they be?
Supposing them to have reached the goal, and to be pure spirits, they
would be damned or blessed, for correct Theology does not admit of pure
spirits on the way to salvation. If damned, they would revere the name
and the Cross of Christ; if blessed, they would not incite men to sin;
they would therefore be different from pure spirits, and thus, have a
body and be on the way to salvation.
68. Præterea agens materiale non potest agere nisi in passum similiter
materiale; tritum siquidem est axioma philosophorum, quod agens et
patiens debent communicare in subjecto; nec id quod materiatum est,
potest agere in rem pure spiritualem. Dantur autem agentia naturalia,
quæ agunt contra hujusmodi Dæmones Incubos, sequitur igitur quod isti
materiati, seu corporei sunt. Minor probatur ex iis quæ scribunt
Dioscorides, l. 2. c. 168. et l. 1. c. 100., Plinius, lib. 15. c. 4.,
Aristoteles, =Probl. 34.=, et Apuleius, =l. De Virtute Herbarum=,
apud Guaccium, =Comp. Malef.=, l. 3. c. 13. fol. 316., et confirmatur
experientia, nempe de pluribus herbis, lapidibus ac animalibus, quæ
Dæmones depellunt, ut ruta, hypericon, verbena, scordium, palma
Christi, centaureum, adamas, corallium, gagates, jaspis, pellis capitis
lupi aut asini, menstruum muliebre, et centum alia; unde habetur 26, q.
7. cap. final.: =Dæmonium sustinenti liceat petras, vel herbas habere
sine incantatione=. Ex quo habetur, petras aut herbas posse sua vi
naturali Dæmonis vires compescere, aliter Canon hoc non permitteret,
sed ut superstitiosum vetaret. Et de hoc luculentum exemplum habemus in
Sacra Scriptura, ubi Angelus Raphael dixit Tobiæ, c. 6, v. 8.: =Cordis
ejus= (nempe piscis, quem a Tigri attraxerat) =particulam, si super
carbones ponas, fumus ejus extricat omne genus Dæmoniorum=. Et ejus
virtutem experientia comprobavit: nam incenso jecore piscis, fugatus
est Incubus, qui Saram deperiebat.
68. Besides, a material agent cannot act but on an equally material
passive. It is indeed a trite philosophical axiom, that agent and
patient must have a common subject: pure matter cannot act on any
purely spiritual thing. Now, there are natural agents which act on
those Incubi Demons: these are therefore material or corporeal. Our
minor is proved by the testimony of Dioscorides, Pliny, Aristoteles and
Apuleius, quoted by Guaccius, _Comp. Malef._ b. 3, ch. 13, fol. 316;
it is confirmed by our knowledge of numerous herbs, stones and animal
substances which have the virtue of driving away Demons, such as rue,
St-John’s wort, verbena, germander, palma Christi, centaury, diamonds,
coral, jet, jasper, the skin of the head of a wolf or an ass, women’s
catamenia, and a hundred others: wherefore it is written: _For such as
are assaulted by the Demon it is lawful to have stones or herbs, but
without recourse to incantations_. It follows that, by their own native
virtue, stones or herbs can bridle the Demon: else the above mentioned
Canon would not permit their use, but would on the contrary forbid
it as superstitious. We have a striking instance thereof in Holy
Scripture, where the Angel Raphael says to Tobit, ch. 6, v. 8, speaking
of the fish which he had drawn from the Tigris: “_If thou puttest on
coals a particle of its liver, the smoke thereof will drive away all
kinds of Demons._” Experience demonstrated the truth of those
words; for, no sooner was the liver of the fish set on fire, than the
Incubus who was in love with Sarah was put to flight.
69. Respondent ad hæc communiter Theologi, quod talia agentia naturalia
inchoative tantum fugant Dæmonem, completive autem vis supernaturalis
Dei aut Angeli, ita ut virtus supernaturalis sit causa primaria,
directa, et principalis, naturalis autem secondaria, indirecta,
et minus principalis. Unde ad probationem, quæ supra adducta est
de Dæmone fugato a fumo jecoris piscis incensi a Tobia, respondet
Vallesius, =De Sac. Philosoph.=, c. 28., quod tali fumo indita fuit a
Deo vis supernaturalis fugandi Incubum, sicut igni materiali Inferni
data est virtus torquendi Dæmones et animas Damnatorum. Ad eamdem
autem probationem respondet Lyranus, et Cornelius ad c. 6. Tob. v.
8., Abulentis in 1. Reg. c. 16. q. 46., Pererius in =Daniel.=, pag.
272., apud Cornel. =loc. cit.=, fumum cordis piscis expulisse Dæmonem
inchoate vi naturali, sed complete vi angelica et cœlesti: naturali
autem impediendo actionem Dæmonis per dispositionem contrariam, quia
hic agit per naturales causas et humores, quorum qualitates expugnantur
a qualitatibus contrariis rerum naturalium, quæ dicuntur Dæmones
fugare; et in eadem sententia sunt omnes loquentes de arte exorcista.
69. To this Theologians usually retort that such natural agents merely
initiate the ejection of the Demon, and that the completive effect
is due to the supernatural force of God or of the Angel; so that the
supernatural force is the primary, direct and principal cause, the
natural force being but secondary, indirect and subordinate. Thus, in
order to explain how the liver of the fish burnt by Tobit drove away
the Demon, Vallesius asserts that the smoke thereof had been endowed by
God with the supernatural power of expelling the Incubus, in the same
manner as the material fire of Hell has the virtue of tormenting Demons
and the souls of the Damned. Others, such as Lyranus and Cornelius,
profess that the smoke of the heart of the fish initiated the ejection
of the Demon by native virtue, but completed it by angelical and
heavenly virtue: by native virtue, insomuch that it opposed a contrary
action to that of the Demon; for the Evil Spirit applies native causes
and humours, the native qualities of which are combated by the contrary
qualities of natural things known to be capable of driving away Demons;
that opinion is shared by all those who treat of the art of exorcisms.