What argument did Erasmus make in De libero arbitrio?

In his 1524 work De libero arbitrio, Erasmus defended the role of human free choice in the process of salvation. He argued that the consensus of the church throughout history serves as an authoritative guide for the interpretation of Scripture, positioning his view against the doctrine of predestination advocated by Martin Luther.1

Through this text, Erasmus sought to maintain the importance of free will, even acknowledging that he wished to claim more for human agency than what St. Paul and St. Augustine appeared to allow. This theological debate prompted a direct response from Luther in his work De servo arbitrio (1525), leading to a further reply from Erasmus in his two-part Hyperaspistes.1