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.
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