's Word or not; when he asks no questions, either about God's
wrath or his grace; and when he, moreover, lets himself be filled
with the sweet poison of false doctrine through the mob of evil
spirits Satan employs for this purpose, until he grows numb, loses
faith and clear judgment and finally becomes overfull of drunkenness
and spews it out upon others.

48. The same thing results when men begin to be wise in divine things
by following human reason. Saint Peter aptly describes this false
doctrine with the expression, "cunningly devised fables," 2 Pet 1,
16. He says: "We did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we
made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Such are the beautiful words and sermons which make a great show of
wisdom and holiness, and naturally please men. For instance it is a
cunningly devised fable when one with the aid of philosophy, which
reason can understand, sets forth in grandiloquent words what a fine
thing it is for a man to live honorably, chastely, and to practice
good works and virtues. The aim is, with such pretense, to have us
believe that we, through these works (not alone through faith), are
justified before God; that is, are redeemed from sin and death.

49. Again, other factious spirits travel about with worthy sayings
which they have heard from us--externals do not help souls; the
Spirit must do the work--and then they proceed to fling contempt on
baptism and the Lord's Supper. So Thomas Munzer, with his seditious
peasants, and the Anabaptist rabble, went about, with great
demonstration, preaching about the shameful, wicked life of the
world, especially of the authorities, declaring that these were
godless people and tyrants, and deserved God's wrath and punishment;
that therefore men should depose and execute them, and establish a
new government, of only pious and holy people.

These and similar things Peter calls "cunningly devised fables." They
are exaggeratingly pretended to be the product of great wisdom and
art, and are rendered sweet and palatable to reason. So has all
idolatry, heresy, and false doctrine, from the beginning on,
prevailed, being fashioned and most beautifully adorned by people
learned and wise and held in the esteem of the world.

50. How admirable did the position of Arius and his adherents appear
in comparison with the true faith concerning the divinity of Christ,
when they declared that though Christ should be exalted above al