Some are of opinion that monsters may be engendered by some infernal
spirit. Of this mind was Adigus Fariur, speaking of a deformed monster
born at Craconia; and Hieronimus Cardamnus wrote of a maid that was got
with child by the devil, she thinking it had been a fair young man. The
like also is recorded by Vicentius, of the prophet Merlin, that he was
begotten by an evil spirit. But what a repugnance it would be both to
religion and nature, if the devils could beget men; when we are taught
to believe that not any was ever begotten without human seed, except the
Son of God. The devil then being a spirit and having no corporeal
substance, has therefore no seed of generation; to say that he can use
the act of generation effectually is to affirm that he can make
something out of nothing, and consequently to affirm the devil to be
God, for creation belongs to God only. Again, if the devil could assume
to himself a human body and enliven the faculties of it, and cause it to
generate, as some affirm he can, yet this body must bear the image of
the devil. And it borders on blasphemy to think that God should so far
give leave to the devil as out of God's image to raise his own
diabolical offspring. In the school of Nature we are taught the
contrary, viz., that like begets like; therefore, of a devil cannot man
be born. Yet, it is not denied, but the devils, transforming themselves
into human shapes, may abuse both men and women, and, with wicked
people, use carnal copulation; but that any unnatural conjunction can
bring forth a human creature is contrary to nature and all religion.

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