Staupitz fears for Luther, because he will have few friends in his fight for the truth, because of the fear of the adversaries. He invites Luther to come to Salzburg to live and die with him.
This letter is found in Aurifaber, vol. I, p. 82 d; in Löscher's Ref.-Acta, vol. II, p. 445 and in Erlanger Briefwechsel, vol. I, p. 234.
JEsus.
Grasp the soul in patience instead of a greeting! I have so much to write about that it would suffice for a booklet, but I will keep it short. It seems to me that the world is embittered against the truth. In former times Christ was crucified with such great hatred, 1) and I see nothing that can await you today other than the cross. If I am not mistaken, the verdict is near that no one, without consulting the pope, should seek in the Scriptures what, in order to find Him, Christ has badly commanded to be done. You have few patrons, and yet God would not have them hidden for fear of the adversaries. It is my wish that you leave Wittenberg for a while and come to me, so that we may live and die together. The same pleases the prince. 2) With these words I conclude: "It is good that it should happen this way, so that we as forsaken follow the forsaken Christ. Farewell and come in good health. Given at Salzburg, on the day of the Exaltation of the Most Holy Cross [Sept. 14] in the year 1518.
Your brother Johannes Staupitz, D.