Why, even now the followers of Simon [Magus] (Acts 8) are so confident of their art that they undertake to bring back the souls of the prophets from hell. And this, I believe, because their power lies in their ability to deceive. This power was actually granted to the witch of Endor, who brought back the soul of Samuel after Saul had consulted God in vain. Apart from that case, God forbid we should believe that any soul, much less a prophet, could be called forth by a demon. We are told that "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" (2 Cor 11:14)—and more easily into a man of light—and that at the end he will work marvelous signs and show himself as God, so much so that, "if possible, he will deceive even the elect." (Mt 24:24) He hardly hesitated to declare to Saul that he was the prophet [Samuel] in whom the devil was then dwelling. ...