# Here Follows A Letter Which Barbelken Goethals Wrote In Prison, And Sent To Jasper N., One Of Her Fellow Believers.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: HERE FOLLOWS A LETTER WHICH BARBELKEN GOETHALS WROTE IN PRISON, AND SENT TO JASPER N., ONE OF HER FELLOW BELIEVERS.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

The abundant and unfathomable great grace
peace and mercy of God our heavenly Father, and
Jesus Christ, his only and eternal dear and beloved
Son, by whom we are redeemed and loosed from
the chains of hell and the shadows of death, and
reconciled through his precious blood alone; him I
wish you, my dearest brother in the Lord, as the
preserver of your soul; and that he would comfort
you with the great consolation, joy, and gladness of
the Holy Ghost, in all that may befall you yet for
the true testimony of our dear Lord Jesus Christ.
To this God who only is wise, be praise, glory,
honor, power, strength and might, forever and ever.
Amen.

After all proper, cordial and friendly salutations
to you, Jasper, my dearest brother in the Lord,
whom I love with godly love in the truth (2 John 1),
and this for the truth’s sake, O, this the Lord
knows, to whom all hearts are known, O my dear
and much beloved brother in the Lord, know that
it is still my purpose to fear our dear Lord from
the depth of my heart, according to my weakness,
all the days of my life, and hope by the help of the
Lord never to separate from the truth; not for anything
that is in the world, neither for riches, silver
or gold, do I hope by his grace, to apostatize from
our dear Lord, to which end may the almighty
God strengthen me, this I pray him. O my dearest
brother in the Lord, I would far rather with Susanna
fall into the hands of men, than to sin in the
sight of the Lord; for the pure and undefiled Susanna
said: “If I do this thing, it is death unto me:
and if I do it not, I cannot escape your hands. It is
better for me to fall into the hands of men, and not
to do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.” Susanna
22, 23. I likewise well know, that if I forsake
the truth death is unto me; but, oh no! this I hope
by the grace of the Lord never to do; but it is much
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better for me also to fall into the hands of men,
than that I should forsake the Lord my God. Oh
no, my dearest brother in the Lord! O let us never
depart from the truth of the Lord, for so many
beautiful promises are promised us, and if we continue
steadfast unto death we shall be saved. O my
much beloved, dear brother in the Lord, O if we
may only be saved, that is enough; which I hope by
his great grace, if we continue in his word, we shall;
for he is faithful that promised, who also will do it;
for he says by his pious prophet Isaiah, comforting
his own: Though a mother forget her own child,
which she herself has brought forth, yet will I not
forget thee. Isa. 49:15. Therefore, my affectionately
beloved brother in the Lord, behold, how
faithfully our dear Lord comforts us; hence, dear
and beloved in the Lord, let us be of good courage,
and willingly labor, for it (our labor) will not be in
vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15:58. Hence I am valiant
and bold, to the Lord be praise and glory, now and
forever, who so faithfully succors me according to
his promise, O who should not fear such a God,
who so preserves his tender branches; and I also
trust valiantly in my Lord and God, that he will
preserve me where I am, and, if it be his will, deliver
me out of this murderer’s den.

Hence, O my dearest and much beloved brother
in Christ Jesus, let us have good courage, though
we meet with more adversity than the world. O let
us look unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher
of our faith, how he went before us in much suffering
and reproach. And all the holy prophets, O let
us look to them, how they went before us, through
so much tribulation, yea, in destitution and affliction;
of whom the world was not worthy. For if
they had been mindful of that country from whence
they came out, they might have had opportunity
to have returned; but now they desired a better
country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God. Heb. 11. Thus,
O Jasper, my most affectionately beloved brother
in the Lord, God will also not be ashamed to be
called our God, if we continue faithfully in his truth,
and do not again lay the foundation of repentance
from dead works, and of faith toward God. Hebrews
6:1. O no, O no, my dearest brother in the
Lord, let us not again lay the foundation of repentance
from dead works, and of faith towards God;
but let us hold fast the faith which we have in Christ
our dear Lord. O I hope by the help of God to
hold fast the faith which I have in Christ Jesus;
nor shall, the Lord helping me, any man separate
me from the love of God, as also Paul says: “Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all
these things we are more than conquerors through
him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall
be able to separate us from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8:35–39.
Therefore, my dearest, beloved brother in the Lord,
let us be of good courage in the Lord; for they can
not hurt a hair of our head without the will of our
Father. Luke 12:7.

O Jasper, my dear and beloved brother in the
Lord, I am of such good cheer, the Lord be praised,
that I should never be able to describe the joy which
I feel in my heart. O what courage I have to fight
against the princes and rulers of darkness; I think
that I could say with David: “I will not be afraid
of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves
against me round about.” Ps. 3:6. O what joy I
have; praise, glory and honor be to God forever
for the great joy that he gives me. O my dearest
brother, rejoice with me, and let it strengthen you,
as I hope that it will. Thus I have briefly written
to my dearest brother in Christ Jesus, with the
small gift that I have received through the grace
of the Lord. Herewith I will commend you to our
dear Lord, and to the rich word of his grace.
I take leave, and say: Adieu, adieu, adieu, farewell,
farewell, farewell, my dearest brother in the Lord,
till we meet again. Though we must part here, and
be separated by men, I hope that we shall meet
again where men can part us no more.

O Jasper, my dearest brother in the Lord, acquit
yourself valiantly unto the end in the word of God;
I hope to do the same. Again I say: Adieu, adieu!
farewell, farewell! we must now part. O I beseech
you most affectionately, to receive my simple letter
in good part, as I hope you will, since I have done
it out of pure love. Written in bonds by me, your
weak sister in the Lord, who lies in bonds in
St. Peter’s, for the true testimony of Jesus Christ.
Keep this letter in remembrance of me; I hope to
seal it with my blood. Always fear God, but not
men.

Barbelken Goethals.





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