me likely rather to break down than to build up simple oik. As I know well that your Grace would not willingly ave strangers damage our holy faith, so was I sure that you rould be still more unwilling for your subjects to do it. Es- ecially as Dr. Luther is a famous man at your university of Vittenberg, he will doubtless bring great notoriety to your rrace and the land of Saxony, and do something contrary 3 the Christian religion and favorable to the Bohemian here- Lcs. For many already have thought that the Scripture com- mands that the sacrament be taken in both kinds, and hold Ciany other articles which are unchristian.
,io. ELECTOR FREDERIC OF ERNESTINE SAXONY TO DUKE
GEORGE OF ALBERTINE SAXONY. Gtss, i. 112. LocHAU, December 29, 1519.
Highborn Prince, dear Cousin. I have received your Grace's letter about a printed pamphlet published by Dr. Martin Luther, which contains a sermon on the Venerable sacrament of the true body of our Lord Jesus Christ. I have also received your Grace's notice and opinion of the same, and in friendship to your Grace will not conceal from you that I have never undertaken to defend or champion Dr. Luther's sermons or disputations, and do not do so now, but keep aloof from such matters as I told the papal cardinal legate, and the nuncio Charles von Miltitz both by letters and orally. Although T cannot know how the said book will be esteemed, yet I hear that hitherto Dr. Luther's doctrine has been by many learned and wise men considered Chris- tian. However I leave it to its merits and him to his reckon- ing, for your Grace knows that Dr. Luther's affair and dis- putation is awaiting judgment, for which he also offered him- self to the papal nuncio, who commanded him to come forth in the proper manner. Now, however this comes out, I will act, God willing, so that no one can rightly blame me, for it would be a heartfelt sorrow to me to have some error in the holy faith appear in the lands of my brother,^ your Grace and myself, or in any other place, and still more would it wound me to have it protected by me, from which may God guard me. • . •
^Duke John.
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