Belgic Confession

Belgica referred to the whole of the Low Countries, both north and south, which today is divided into the Netherlands and Belgium.

[4]: 100–101 [5]: 238  De Brès showed it in draft to others, including Hadrian à Saravia, Herman Moded and Godfried van Wingen (Wingius).

It was revised by Franciscus Junius, who abridged the sixteenth article and sent a copy to Geneva and other churches for approval; and it was presented to Philip II of Spain in 1562, in the hope of securing toleration for his Protestant subjects in the Low Countries.

[7] The Belgic Confession became the basis of a counter to the Arminian controversy that arose in the following century, but Jacobus Arminius himself opposed the notion that it could be used against his theology.

[8] The Synod of Antwerp of 1580 ordered a copy of the revised text of Junius to be made for its archives, to be signed by every new minister; this manuscript has always been regarded in the Belgic churches as the authentic document.

[...] In the language of religious self-utterance, therefore, credo, "I believe," and confiteor, "I confess or acknowledge," must always have a foremost place.

They imply that the period of ignorance or doubt is past; that conviction is attained; that the spiritual life is come to itself; that the seeker has at last found, and that the soul is at rest.

In other words, one of the 'authentic expositions of distinctive doctrine, intended to remove misconceptions and to repudiate misrepresentations.

The Belgic Confession instead expands on the doctrines of the Trinity, Incarnation, Church and sacraments, while frequently distinguishing itself from Anabaptist theology.