42. The angel said that with him who was in faith separated from charity he spoke as follows:
"Friend, who are you?" "I am a Reformed Christian." "What is your doctrine and the religion you have from it?" "It is faith." "What is your faith?" "My faith is that 'God the Father sent the Son to make satisfaction for mankind, and that they are saved who believe this.'" "What more do you know about salvation?" "Salvation is through that faith alone." "What do you know about redemption?" "It was effected by the passion of the cross, and the Son's merit is imputed through that faith." "What do you know about regeneration?" "It is effected through that faith."
"What do you know about repentance and the remission of sins?" "They are effected through that faith." "Say what you know about love and charity." "They are that faith." "Say what you know about good works." "They are that faith." "Say what you think about all the things commanded in the Word." "They are in that faith." "There is nothing then that you are to do?" "What is there for me to do? I cannot of myself do good that is really good." "Can you have faith of yourself?" "I cannot." "How then is it possible for you to have faith?" "That I do not inquire into. I am to have faith."
Finally the angel said, "Surely you know something more than this about salvation." He replied, "What more is there for me to know, seeing that salvation is obtained through that faith alone?"
Then the angel said, "You answer like a fifer who sounds only one note: I hear of naught but faith. If that is all you know, you know nothing. Depart, and behold your associates."
So he departed and came upon his associates in a desert, where there was no grass. He asked why that was so, and was told that it was because there was nothing of the church in them.