The seconde tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testament conteynyng the epistles of S. Paul, and other the Apostles : wherunto is added a paraphrase vpon the reuelacion of S. John.

The texte,

Let no fylthy communicacion procede out of your mouth: but that which is good to edyfye withall, as oft as nede is that it may minister grace vnto the hearers. And greue not ye the holy spirite of God by whom ye are sealed vnto the daye of redempcion. Let all bytternes and fearsnes & wrathe and roryng and cursed speaking be put away from you, with all malicious∣nes. Be ye courteous one to another, mercyfull, forgeuyng one another, euen as God for Christes sake hath forgeuen you.

It is not ynoughe to kepe still the handes continente, excepte the tongue be also vnhurtefull. Many pestilent mischeafes a naughty tongue is woont to occasi∣on: with filthy communicacion it infecteth, with backebiting it infameth, with false accusacion it destroyeth, with lying and periurie it desceaueth. Let no euil communicacion therefore procede out of your mouthe. For such as the speache is, such is the minde, yf you be of a pure mynde, it besemeth not impure commu∣nicacion to procede out of it. And it is not ynoughe for a Christian mannes cō∣municacion to be vnhurtefull, but it ought also to bee of suche sorte, that it bee spoken in season, and to so good purpose as it maye bee commodious vnto the hearers. But in case you doe otherwyse, you shall not onely offende menne with vnprofitable, vnseasonable, and noysome communicacion▪ but also the holy spirite of God, that dwelleth in Christian hartes, by whome youre soules and bodyes are, as it were, marked vnto God. And it is furthermore conueni∣ente for you, to bryng foorth that marke safe and fayre in that daye, whan you shall receyue the rewarde of your Innocencye, at whiche daye you shal bee dysseuered from the coumpanye of the eiuyll. And trewelye thys spyryte is dryuen awaye and dyspleased with all kynde of vncleanesse, and canne not abyde to haue a dooe wyth wrathe, wyth reuengement, nor with filthye com∣municacion, he is peaceable, gentyll and bounteous, and yf you haue truelye receyued hym, let al bitternes, swelling and fearcenes be ferre from your conuer∣sacion. Let angre, loude speakyng, and scoldyng be so fer from you, y^t no leauen

of malice remayne in youre stomake, whereof these manner of myscheafes are woont to budde out. But rather bee you tractable and gentill among youre selues, readye to haue mercie, to pardone and to forgeue euery one other, yf any thyng chaunce to bee dooen amyste through errour and mannes imbecillitie: to forgeue (I saye) for Christes sake forasmuch as God hath forgeuen you your offences by Christe once for al, how beit the lord hath forgeuen his seruauntes vpon this condicion, that after his exaumple, we should also euery one forgeue oure felow seruauntes. For concorde can not possibly in any wyse continue a∣mong men, onles thei can beare paciently euery mā with the faultes of others.