acceptable to God, and then for his sake his offering was
accepted also, and not he because of his offering. Again, God had no
respect to Cain, and therefore neither to his offering: therefore thou
seest that regard is had first to the worker, then to the work.

From this it is plainly gathered that no work can be acceptable to God,
unless he which worketh it was first accepted by Him: and again, that no
work is disallowed of Him unless the author thereof be disallowed
before. I think these remarks will be sufficient concerning this matter
at present, by which it is easy to understand that there are two sorts
of works, those before justification and those after it; and that these
last are good works indeed, but the former only appear to be good.
Hereof cometh such disagreement between God and those counterfeit holy
ones; for this cause nature and reason rise and rage against the Holy
Ghost; this is that of which almost the whole Scripture treats. The Lord
in His Word defines all works that go before justification to be evil,
and of no importance, and requires that man before all things be
justified. Again, He pronounces all men which are unregenerate, and have
that nature which they received of their parents unchanged, to be
righteous and wicked, according to that saying "all men are liars," that
is, unable to perform their duty, and to do those things which they
ought to do; and "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart are
only evil continually"; whereby he is able to do nothing that is good,
for the fountain of his actions, which is his heart, is corrupted. If he
do works which outwardly seem good, they are no better than the offering
of Cain.

Here again comes forth reason, our reverend mistress, seeming to be
marvelously wise, but who indeed is unwise and blind, gainsaying her
God, and reproving Him of lying; being furnished with her follies and
feeble honor, to wit, the light of nature, free will, the strength of
nature; also with the books of the heathen and the doctrines of men,
contending that the works of a man not justified are good works, and not
like those of Cain, yea, and so good that he that worketh them is
justified by them; that God will have respect, first to the works, then
to the worker. Such doctrine now bears the sway everywhere in schools,
colleges, monasteries wherein no other saints than Cain was, have rule
and authority. Now from this error comes another: they which attribute
so much t