The voice of the law should be brought forward, that men may be terrified and brought to a knowledge of their sins, and thereby be moved to sorrow…. But we must not stop here because that would be:
to wound only and not to bind up,
to strike and not to heal,
to kill and not to make alive,
to bring down to hell and not to bring back,
to humble and not to exalt.
Therefore the word of grace, and of the promised remission of sin, must also be preached, in order to teach and set up faith; since, without that word of grace… contrition, penitence, and all other duties, are performed and taught in vain.
–Martin Luther
What great wisdom from almost 500 years ago!