[Sidenote: 1525] How theological, rather than philosophical, his opinion was may be seen from the fact that while he admitted that a man was free to choose which of two indifferent alternatives he should take, he denied that any of these choices could work salvation or real righteousness in God's eyes.

He did not hesitate to say that God saved and damned souls irrespective of merit.

Erasmus answered again in a large work, the _Hyperaspistes_ (_Heavy-Armed Soldier_), which came {106} out in two parts.

[Sidenote: 1526-7] In this he offers a general critique of the Lutheran movement.

Its leader, he says, is a dogmatist, who never recoils from extremes logically demanded by his premises, no matter how repugnant they may be to the heart of man.