to have at least some parts of the net on his side – for instance, holy baptism and other sacraments – so that he would not appear quite as naked as a pagan. But otherwise he tears all the truths of the holy Scripture).
Yet this net is capable of encompassing a great multitude of believers and of the elect; even though they were countless thousands, their multitude does not tear the net which is made of many truths of the holy Scripture. For faith does not weaken nor suffer from great numbers of believers; it thrives and becomes stronger because of them, since every one of the believers strengthens and broadens faith (because he lives by faith which in turn becomes a help and an example to others). If one of them should perchance weaken In his faith, the others will immediately seek to help. Therefore a multitude of believers is the power and the strength of faith.
This net can draw out of the sea of (our) world and its depths of sins only those who to the end remain in the net, not tearing a single part of it. For wherever they would damage the net by breaking one of the truths out of which it is knotted together, they would be unable to remain within, and would throw drown in the depth of the sea. Only he can be drawn out who is willing to let himself be pulled out where the fishermen intend it; if he resist the net (or the direction), he cannot be pulled out.
