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There is but one good, and that is God.
A good man bryngeth forth good out of the treasure of hys hart.
IT is true that men be they neuer so excellent cannot deserue so honora∣ble a title as to be called good, no not y• Angels. For they haue not one only
droppe of goodnesse of themselfe: But they haue from God whatsoeuer they haue y• is good. Besyde, be it in men, or be it in the Angels, goodnesse is but begonne in thē, it is not perfect. Yet we must vnderstand what y• meaning of our Lord Iesus Christ is, when he sayth to the yong man, whye doest thou call me good? There is none good but God, he will not affirme there y• he is God: but he bryngeth thys yong man in, to be∣leue hys doctryne. He had already a certayne affection to obey: but Iesus Christ wil haue hym mount hygher, to heare this holy doctryne as frō the mouth of the liuyng God, and not of a mortal man. For as men are wont to make of diuels Angels, so without dis∣cretion, men cal them good teachers, which haue no true or good felyng of God. And so ar the gyftes of God pro∣phaned. It is no maruel then y• Christ sendes thys yong man to God to the end he may geue authority to his doc∣tryne. Yet there is no inconuenience in callyng a man good whē God hath chaunged hys hart, whiche by nature
was ill, and when he hath prynted in hym some of hys goodnesse. So the goodnesse shalbe alwayes Gods, and the man also shalbe good: Yet it shal not be of hym selfe: But in that God hath made him such. So it is sayd that a good man bryngeth forth goodnesse from the good treasure of hys harte. Thys sentence admonysheth y• fayth∣ful which made profession to be Gods seruauntes to examyne and aduise thē diligently what they set forth. No∣thing wil cōme oute of the sacke but what is in it, as the prouerbe sayeth, The naughtye hart cannot but beare witnesse of it self by prophane words, and by wicked wordes. So a hart fea∣ryng God sends forth fruites worthy a Christiā man. But we must returne to thys poynt that the hart cannot bee good but by the onely goodnesse and grace of God, and out of this self roote the good fruytes also shall sprynge.