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, give
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.

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 its
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." And Wisdom xv: "For if we sin, we are
Thine, knowing Thy power." And Proverbs xxiv: "For a just man falleth
seven times, and riseth up again." 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 shall no man living be justified"; 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"; 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"; for as faith trusts, so it receives.

See, thus are works forgiven, are without guilt and are good, not by
their own nature, but by the mercy and grace of God bec