he machinations of the
devil, and styled by Scripture under the name of Samuel, just as the
images of things are wont to be called by the names of those things."

Reply Obj. 3: No temporal utility can compare with the harm to
spiritual health that results from the research of the unknown by
invoking the demon.
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FIFTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 95, Art. 5]

Whether Divination by the Stars Is Unlawful?

Objection 1: It would seem that divination by the stars is not
unlawful. It is lawful to foretell effects by observing their causes:
thus a physician foretells death from the disposition of the disease.
Now the heavenly bodies are the cause of what takes place in the
world, according to Dionysius (Div. Nom. iv). Therefore divination by
the stars is not unlawful.

Obj. 2: Further, human science originates from experiments, according
to the Philosopher (Metaph. i, 1). Now it has been discovered through
many experiments that the observation of the stars is a means whereby
some future events may be known beforehand. Therefore it would seem
not unlawful to make use of this kind of divination.

Obj. 3: Further, divination is declared to be unlawful in so far as
it is based on a compact made with the demons. But divination by the
stars contains nothing of the kind, but merely an observation of
God's creatures. Therefore it would seem that this species of
divination is not unlawful.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Confess. iv, 3): "Those
astrologers whom they call mathematicians, I consulted without
scruple; because they seemed to use no sacrifice, nor to pray to any
spirit for their divinations which art, however, Christian and true
piety rejects and condemns."

_I answer that,_ As stated above (AA. 1, 2), the operation of the
demon thrusts itself into those divinations which are based on false
and vain opinions, in order that man's mind may become entangled in
vanity and falsehood. Now one makes use of a vain and false opinion
if, by observing the stars, one desires to foreknow the future that
cannot be forecast by their means. Wherefore we must consider what
things can be foreknown by observing the stars: and it is evident
that those things which happen of necessity can be foreknown by this
means: even so astrologers forecast a future eclipse.

However, with regard to the foreknowledge of future events acquired
by observing the stars there have been various opinions. For some
have stated that th