Binsfeld's Classification of Demons
Peter Binsfeld was a Medieval demonologist and Jesuit priest who lived in Trier, Germany, and died there of the plague in 1598. He was involved in the witch hunts of the time and wrote "The Confession of Warlocks and Witches", which discussed the confessions of alleged witches, and argued that torture did not affect the veracity of confessions.
In 1589, Peter Binsfeld paired each of the Seven Deadly Sins with a demon, who tempted people by means of the associated sin. According to Binsfeld's Classification of Demons, the pairings are as follows:
- Lust: Asmodeus
- Gluttony: Beelzebub
- Greed: Mammon
- Sloth: Belphegor
- Wrath: Satan
- Envy: Leviathan
- Pride: Lucifer
Detail of 1594 Book by Binsfeld.
He also theorised that other demons invoke sin, for instance Lilith and her offspring, the incubi and succubi, invoke lust. The succubi sleep with men in order to impregnate themselves so that they can bear more demons. The incubi sleep with women to lead them into sin and to impregnate them with demon spawn.
