Whether It Is Lawful to Adjure the Demons?
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.
Obj. 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.
Obj. 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
Luke 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 [*the Greater; cf. Apocrypha, N.T., Hist.
Certam. Apost. vi, 19] that he caused Hermogenes to be brought to
him, by the instrumentality of the demons.
Reply Obj. 1: Origen is speaking of adjuration made, not
authoritatively by way of compulsion, but rather by way of a friendly
appeal.
Reply Obj. 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 Obj. 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.
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