The Complaint of Peace

I have typeset Erasmus’ work; The Complaint of Peace which is available here.

It must be understood that as a Catholic Erasmus can not be fully relied upon for sound doctrine in every thing, however his scholarly work was critical to the preservation of the traditional text of the Bible. The King James translators benefited greatly from his work which was considerable.

Here is a sample of his piece :

“Though there were no other motive to preserve peace, one would imagine that the common name of man might be sufficient to secure concord between all who claim it. But be it granted that Nature has no effect on men as men, (though we have seen that Nature rules as she ought to do in the brute creation), yet, must not Christ therefore avail with christians? Be it granted that the suggestions of nature have no effect with a rational being, (though we see them have great weight even on inanimate things without sense) yet, as the suggestions of the christian religion are far more excellent that those of nature, why does not the christian religion persuade those who profess it, of a truth which it recommends above all others, that is, the expediency and necessity of peace on earth, and good-will towards men; or at least, why does it fail of effectually dissuading from unnatural, and more than brutal, madness of waging war?”