The Hammer of Witches

...believe that demons exist only in the estimation of the common people, such that the terrors which a man creates for himself out of his own imagination he attributes to a demon. They argue that because of a powerful imagination, certain figures appear to the senses just as a man is thinking of them, and then these are believed to be seen as demons or even witches malefici; individuals who use supernatural means to cause harm. And since the true faith repudiates this—through which we believe that angels fell from heaven and that demons exist—we therefore confess that by the subtlety of their nature they can do many things which we cannot. And those who induce them to perform such acts are called witches. Since, indeed, infidelity in a baptized person is called heresy heresis; a formal denial or doubt of core religious dogmas, such people are reproved for heresy. There are two other errors: those who do not deny demons and their natural power, but who disagree among themselves regarding the effect of witchcraft and the witch herself. One side concedes that witches really cooperate to produce an effect, though they claim the effect is not real but fantastic meaning "illusory" or existing only in the imagination. The other side, conversely, concedes that the effect is real in itself, but believes the witch only participates in a fantastic or imaginary way. The foundation of this error is taken from two passages of the Canon specifically the "Canon Episcopi," a 10th-century legal text that was frequently cited by those who were skeptical of the physical reality of witchcraft found in Case 26, Question 5, "Episcopi." There, they first reprove women who believe they ride at night with Diana The Roman goddess of the hunt, often associated with the moon or Herodiana A figure from folklore often paired with Diana, sometimes linked to the biblical Herodias during the hours of the night. Let the Canon be inspected there. And because such things often happen only fantastically and in the imagination, those who are in error judge that all other effects happen in the same way. Second, because it is stated there that whoever believes or asserts that any creature can be made, or changed for the better or worse, or transformed into another species or likeness by anyone other than God the creator of all, is an infidel and worse than a pagan. Therefore, because it says there "changed for the worse," they argue that the effect is not real in the victim of witchcraft, but only fantastic. But that these errors savor of heresy and fight against the sound understanding of the Canon is shown first by divine law as well as ecclesiastical and civil law—and this in general. Finally, it is shown by explaining the words of the Canon in particular, although this will be deduced more clearly in the following question.

For divine law in many places commands that witches are not only to be avoided but even killed. It would not impose such punishments if they did not truly cooperate with demons to produce real effects and injuries. For bodily death is not inflicted without a bodily and grave sin, though it is different regarding the death of the soul, which can arise from a fantastic illusion or even temptation. This is the opinion of Saint Thomas Thomas Aquinas, the most influential medieval theologian in his commentary on the Sentences, Book 2, Distinction 8, in the question "Whether using the help of demons is evil." Many things in Deuteronomy 18 command that all witches and sorcerers be killed. Also in Leviticus 19 it is said: "The soul that turns to magicians and to soothsayers and plays the harlot with them, I will set my face against it and kill it from the midst of my people." And again in chapter 20: "A man or woman in whom there is a pythonic spirit phitonicus spiritus; a spirit of divination, referring to the Python of Delphi or a spirit of divination, let them die; they shall overwhelm them with stones." And those in whom a demon works wondrous effects are called pythons. Furthermore, it was because of this sin that Ahaziah died while sick (4 Kings 1) and Saul (1 Chronicles 10). Finally, let the commentators on the divine words be inspected—whatever doctor's writings upon the second book of the Sentences regarding the power of demons and magic arts—and one will find, with no one disagreeing, that magicians and witches, by the power of demons with God's permission, can produce wondrous effects that are not fantastic. I say nothing of various other places in which Saint Thomas treats extensively of such works, as in the Summa Theologica, Part 1, Question 114, Article 4, and in the Second Part of the Second Part, Question 95, Article 2. Then let the commentators and glossators be inspected concerning the magicians of Pharaoh Referencing the sorcerers in Exodus who mimicked the miracles of Moses through demonic power in Exodus 7. Let also the words of Augustine Saint Augustine of Hippo, whose writings provided the foundation for much of medieval demonology in Book 18 of The City of God, chapter 18, and in Book 2 of On Christian Doctrine be inspected. Similarly, it is very absurd to contradict all other doctors, nor can one be excused from the vice of heresy; indeed, in law, anyone is judged a heretic who errs in the interpretation of Holy Scripture (Case 24, Question 1, "Heresy") and whoever feels otherwise regarding those things which concern the faith than the Roman Church holds (same place, chapter 7). This, then, is the faith.