The Belgic (or Netherlands) Confession of Faith
Introduction
This is historically the first of our "Three Forms of
Unity" (Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession of Faith,
and the Canons of Dordt), having been composed in 1561. It
is often called the Belgic Confession because it was written
in the southern Lowlands, now known as Belgium. Its chief
author was Guido de Bres, on of the several itinerant preachers
during those days of persecution, who died a martyr's death.
Under Philip II, of Spain, an ally
of the Romish Church, the Reformed believers in the Lowlands
were sorely persecuted as revolutionaries. This Confession
was written primarily as a testimony to the Spanish king
to prove that the Reformed believers were not rebels, as
was charged, but law-abiding citizens who professed only
those doctrines which were the teachings of Holy Scripture.
In 1562 a copy was sent to the Spanish king, accompanied
by a petition for relief from persecution,
in which the petitioners declared that they were ready to obey the government
in all lawful things, although they would "offer their backs to stripes,
their tongues to knives, their mouths to gags, and their whole bodies to fire," rather
than deny the truth of God's Word.
The Confession and the petition had
no effect on the Spanish authorities. However, it served
well as a means of instruction of Reformed believers and
thus became an expression of the faith of a people enduring
suffering for Christ's sake. This is also reflected in
its language. For while this confession follows the objective
doctrinal order in its articles, its profoundly personal
element is evident from the fact that every article begins
with such words as, "We
believe...," "We believe and confess...," or, "We all
believe with the heart and confess with the mouth...."
The confession
was adopted by several National Synods in the sixteenth century, and, after
careful revision of the text, was approved and adopted by the
Synod of Dordrecht, 1618-1619, and ever since that time included among
our "Three
Forms of Unity."
