Note 1662 — Chapter XXVIII · (continued 2)

He says in a frequently misquoted paragraph (“Werke,” Erl. ed., 18², p. 352 f.) in so many words: “The world ever remains the same; either it exalts faith wrongly [as do the ‘secure pseudo-Christians’ on his side whose ‘faith is not rooted aright,’ p. 351] or it wishes to be over-holy but without faith [like the Papists]. If we discourse on faith and grace, then no one will perform good works; if we insist on works, then no one will have anything to do with faith; few indeed are those who keep to the true middle course and even pious Christians find it difficult.”—This was certainly quite true of the piety he taught.