Keeping the main thing the main thing

The promise should always be in sight. Because of His promise. God wishes to be gracious and to justify for Christ's sake, not because of the Law or our works. In this promise timid consciences should seek reconciliation and justification. By this promise they should sustain themselves and be confident that they have a gracious God for Christ's sake, because of His promise. So works can never make a conscience peaceful. Only the promise can.

~Phillip Melanchthon, "Defense of the Augsburg Confession," V (III), 59