Note 687 — Chapter VI
Reading edition
Many of Luther’s strokes at Erasmus occur in the Colloquia Mensalia, which I quote from the translation. Erasmus can do nothing but cavil and flout, he cannot confute. I charge you in my will and testament, that you hate and loath Erasmus, that viper. ch. xliv. He called Erasmus an epicure and ungodly creature, for thinking that if God dealed with men here on earth as they deserved, it would not go so ill with the good, or so well with the wicked. ch. vii. Lutherus, says the other, sic respondit (diatribæ De Libero Arbitrio), ut antehac in neminem virulentius; et homo suavis post editum librum per literas dejerat se in me esse animo candidissimo, ac propemodum postulat, ut ipsi gratias agam, quod me tam civiliter tractavit, longe aliter scripturus si cum hoste fuisset res. Ep. Dcccxxxvi.