He
teaches us how to equip and defend ourselves against his wicked
devices.

"Whom withstand stedfast in your faith."

54. The true defense and resistance, in which we are to be sober and
watchful, is to be well grounded in God's Word and cling firmly
thereto when the devil seeks, with his cunningly devised fables, born
of human understanding and reason, to overthrow our faith. Reason is
the devil's bride, and always vaunts itself wise and skilful in
divine things, and thinks what it holds to be right and good must be
accounted so before God. But faith holds to God's Word alone. It
knows that before God, human wisdom, skill and power, and whatever
gifts and virtues man may have, count for nothing. Only his grace and
the forgiveness of sins in Christ has value. Therefore, faith can
repel and defeat all these fine pretensions and cunning fables.

55. Worldly dominion and authority boasts before God in this fashion:
My crown is a crown in God's sight, for my power and sovereignty have
been given me by God. Therefore, whatever I say he must respect and
regard as valid, and everyone must endorse my words and actions.

The wise philosopher or jurist would thus give expression to his
boasts and pretensions: We are the learned, the wise rulers of the
world, and have admirable laws and statutes. We have superior and
beautiful doctrines concerning good works and virtues. Men must
listen to us and allow our judgment to have precedence. He who can
do, or does, such things as we have done is, in God's sight, superior
to others.

FAITH, NOT WORLDLY WISDOM, ESSENTIAL.

56. No, dear man, says faith to this, I grant that the things of
which thou boastest have been ordained and confirmed by God; but they
are not of value save for this temporal life. The world regards it a
crown to be known as wise. But in the presence of God thou shouldst
lay aside thy crown, let thy might and power, thy law and wisdom, go,
and say: God, be merciful to me a poor sinner! Reason has this
advantage, that it is equipped and adorned with God's promise to
confirm its rule here on earth and to be pleased therewith; but with
the provision that reason shall not interfere in God's government, or
boast over against him. Let it be known that what is called wisdom
and prudence on earth, is foolishness before God. What in the sight
of the world is commended and honored as beautiful, valuable, as of
honor and virtue, is before God sin, and subject to his wrat