72 2LESH ANA srmir, &C. [sEAhi. IV. not our only enemies, but that we wrestle also with prin- cipalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness, i. e. with Satan and the powers of darkness. Yet we must remember that the powers, of darkness chiefly attack our spirits by means of our flesh. I cannot believe they would have so much advantage . over our souls as they have, if our souls were released from flesh and blood. Satan has a chamber in the imagination, fancy is his shop wherein to forge sinful thoughts ; and he is very busy at this mischievous work; especially when the pow- ers of nature labour under any disease, and such as af- fects the head and the nerves He seizes the unhappy opportunity, and gives greater disturbances to the mind, by awakening the images of the brain in an irregular manner, and stimulating and urging onwards the too unruly passions. This crafty adversary is very ready to fish, as we say, in troubled waters, where the humours of the body are out of order. Thus he is wise to make his advantage of all our weaknesses, and togain some interest in them, to execute his hellish designs thereby, Cor. xii. 7. Amessenger of Satan and a thorn in the flesh, were both together troublesome to St. Paul : whe- ther they became two distinct enemies, or one strength- ened by the influence of the other, is hard to determine ; but thus much seems to be intimated, that some trouble- some disorder in the flesh, gave a great occasion to Sa- tan to buffet St. Paul more severely, and do him more mischief. It is hard wrestling for a poor sanctified soul, with so violent and strong a yoke-fellow as our flesh. The powers of the flesh twine about our feeble spirit, and often pull it to the ground, and get the mastery of it. Thejustman mayfall down seven times,, and rise again ; but the wickedfall intomischief, and attempt not to rise, Pror. xxiv. 16. We are tied to the flesh while we are here, and it is the biggest, and the hardest part of our state of trial, to be constantly tied to such flesh as ours is. All the adversaries we have besides, are not equal to the adversary that dwells with us, nor is all their power equal to the power . of our flesh and blood, with its restless urgencies, leading us away from God to sin. There is so close a union between flesh and spirit, in this state, that we carry our prison about us, even the flesh
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