Could be put that way. Earthly success and material wealth were indicators of salvation. Little surprise that this message found a great audience among the manufacturing middle-class and traders in France (Huegenottes) and the Low countries.
Strange. He was a clever man. You would have thought he would have realised it was the theological equivalent of a pile of donkey droppings.
That makes a lot of sense. Such things may initially appeal to people or get them to ask more questions about a faith.