h DO reason to charge it to me. But I see that good men are
fittk offended with his writings ; not, I think, that they approve
cfeTttuiig, bat that they read him in the same way that we
read Cyprian, Jerome and even Peter Lombard, winking at
many things. I was sorry that Luther's books were published,
and when some of them began to come out I did my best to
prerent it, principally because I feared they might cause a
tnnmlt Luther has written me a right Christian letter, at'
bst to my way of thinking, and I answered, incidentally
wanung him not to write anything seditious nor insolent to «
the Roman pontiff, nor anything too proud or angry, but to
preach the evangelic doctrine with sincere mind and all gen- .
tieness. I did it courteously so as to have more effect. I
^dded that this was the way in which he could best conciliate
^ opinion of men; which some have interpreted to mean
^ I favor him, although none of them ever warned him,
^ only L I am neither the accuser, nor the defender nor^.
^ jii(^e of Luther; I dare not judge his spirit, for that is \
^Qt if I did favor him as a good man, as all, even his enemies,
^fess that he is, or as a prisoner on trial, which even sworn
lodges are allowed to do, or as one oppressed, as himianity
^ould dictate, or as one overwhelmed by those who use
him as a pretext to crush sound learning, why should I be
loaded with so much odiimi ? At least I do not interfere with
the cause. Finally I think it is Christian so to favor Luther
faction, and if he is in error he may be rather cured than '
destroyed. This is most agreeable to the example of Christ,
who, according to the prophet, does not quench the smoking
flax nor break the bruised reed.* I should prefer that that
heart which seems to strike forth some splendid sparks of
gospel truth should not be crushed, but corrected and called
back to preach the glory of Christ. Now the theologians
whom I know neither warn nor teach Luther, but only traduce
him with wild clamors before the people, or attack him with
violent abuse, having nothing at their tongue's end but the
'"Praesertim in partem pejorem/' or, "especially the worst side of a man." 'Isaiah, xlii. 3.
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