The kingdom of darkness, that is, the evil prince of spirits, having taken man captive at the beginning, enveloped and clothed his soul in the power of darkness. This evil ruler clothed the soul and all its substance with sin. He defiled it all and brought it all into captivity to his kingdom. He did not leave one member of it free from slavery to himself – neither the thoughts, nor the understanding, nor the body; he clothed it all with the purple of darkness. This evil enemy has defiled and disfigured the entire man, soul and body. He has clothed man in “the old man,” defiled, unclean, hostile to God, insubmissive to God’s law. (Romans 8:7) That is, he has clothed him in sin itself, so that man may no longer see as he wishes, but may see passionately, and hear passionately, and have feet prone to evil deeds, hands to commit sin, and a heart inclined to evil thoughts. But let us implore God to put off the old man from us, since he alone can take away sin from us. For those that have taken us captive and that detain us in their kingdom are too mighty for us. But he has promised to deliver us from this slavery.