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that he may bring forth the greatest fruit to evangelic piety, and that Christ may give a better mind to some who sedc their own glory at his expense and their own profit with his loss. In the camp of Luther's opponents I see many who savor more of the world than of Qirist, and yet both sides have sinned. Would that Hutten, whose genius I singularly love, had tempered his pen. I should prefer that Luther left these tiunults alone for a while, and devoted himself to the gospel alone; perhaps dispassionate action would succeed a little better. Hatred of good learning is fatal to us and bar- ren to him. There is danger lest the public corruption of morals, which everyone admits needs a public remedy, may gradually increase like the plague and become firmly estab- lished. Truth is not always to be advanced, and it makes much difference how it is championed. Farewell, excellent man, and commend me to your prince.
274. POPE LEO X. TO FREDERIC. ELECTOR OF SAXONY. Lutheri opera varii argumenti, v. 10. Rome, July 8, 152a
Beloved Son, greeting and the apostolic blessing! Grave men have testified to us that your Lordship, according to your surpassing wisdom and piety towards God and his orthodox faith, and according to the nobility of your soul and of your ancestors, who were always ready to serve the Christian state and the holy see, has always been hostile to the attempts of that son of iniquity Martin Luther, and has never either aided or favored him. This pleases us the more in that it greatly increases the opinion which we have of your splendid virtue and our paternal goodwill towards you.
We cannot say whether we think you have acted more wisely or more piously in this affair. For it is singular wis- dom to recognize that a furious man, by no means obedient to his vow of humility, moved by ambition to resuscitate the old heresies of the Wyclifites, Hussites and Bohemians, already condemned by the universal Church, one who manifestly seeks the money of the people, one who by his interpretation of Scripture gives occasion of sinning to the simple, one who breaks the bonds of chastity and innocence, and by his pro- fane words also confession and contrition of heart, one who
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