y must be gently and
gradually led back again to faith, as a sick man is treated, and
must be allowed for a time, for their conscience sake, to cling
to some works and do them as necessary to salvation, so long as
they rightly grasp the faith; lest if we try to tear them out so
suddenly, their weak consciences be quite shattered and confused,
and retain neither faith nor works. But the hardheaded, who,
hardened in their works, have no heed to what is said of faith,
and fight against it, these we must, as Christ did and taught,
let go their way, that the blind may lead the blind.

[Sidenote: The Contradiction of Faith and Daily Sins]

XVI. But you say: How can I trust surely that all my works are
pleasing to God, when at times I fall, and talk, eat, drink and
sleep too much, or otherwise transgress, as I cannot help doing?
Answer: This question shows that you still regard faith as a work
among other works, and do not set it above all works. For it is
the highest work for this very reason, because it remains and
blots out these daily sins by not doubting that God is so kind to
you as to wink at such daily transgression and weakness. Aye,
even if a deadly sin should occur (which, however, never or
rarely happens to those who live in faith and trust toward God),
yet faith rises again and does not doubt that Sin is already
gone; as it is written I. John ii: "My little children, these
things I write unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we
have an Advocate with God the Father, Jesus Christ, Who is the
propitiation of all our sins." [1 John 2:1] And Wisdom xv: "For
if we sin, we are Thine, knowing Thy power." [Wis. 15:2] And
Proverbs xxiv: "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up
again." [Prov. 24:16] Yes, this confidence and faith must be so
high and strong that the man knows that all his life and works
are nothing but damnable sins before God's judgment, as it is
written, Psalm cxliii: "In thy sight no man living be justified"
[Ps. 143:2]; and he must entirely despair of his works, believing
that they cannot be good except through this faith, which looks
for no judgment, but only for pure grace, favor, kindness and
mercy, like David, Psalm xxvi: "Thy loving kindness is ever
before mine eyes, and I have trusted in Thy truth" [Ps. 26:3];
Psalm iv: "The light of Thy countenance is lift up upon us (that
is, the knowledge of Thy grace through faith), and thereby hast
Thou put gladness in my heart" [Ps. 4:7