The Belgic Confession (1561) is the oldest of the Dutch Reformed confessions, written by Guido de Brès — who was martyred for the faith six years later — to show Spanish authorities that Reformed believers were no radicals. In 37 articles it moves from the doctrine of Scripture and the Trinity through providence, the church, the sacraments, civil government, and the last judgment.
“between the path along which the dogmatician is formed and the principle
from which dogmatics receives its material. In every science the
practitioner begins to live from the tradition. The first knowledge of his
discipline he always acquires through authority. He must first take up into
himself the...”
“XXIX
oasis to many, though it might not he able to diffuse just its own verdure through the whole of Christendom.” The result of Bengel? s “ Sketch ” was gratifying. Zinz. gave no answer to it: gradually he modified many of his objectionable expressions; and in course of time the Church of the Breth...”
“all chosen by God before the foundation of the world, who are all in due time united to Him by faith as members of His body, and who are at length admitted to share in His glory; and this idea of the visible, as distinguished from the invisible church, though not a different church from it, is most...”
“1893. Kattenbusch, Das apost. Symbol I 1894. Kunze, Glaubensregel, H.
Schrift und Taufbekenntniss, Leipzig 1899. A church also cannot exist in a
world full of lies and deceit without a rule of faith, becomes, as history
especially in this century teaches, without a firm confession a prey to all
kind...”
Guido de Brès, a Walloon pastor, in 1561. He reportedly tossed a copy over the castle wall at Tournai so the authorities would read it. He was martyred in 1567.
Why is it called "Belgic"?
Belgica was the Latin name for the Low Countries (modern Netherlands and Belgium). The confession was written for the French- and Dutch-speaking Reformed churches there.