Outline.
Lesson 19. (The Belgic Confession and the Submission of the Christian to the King)

Review. 
The use of Confessions and heads of households. 
Teaching the confessions. The substance of the confession is principle. 
Worship and Willing service. Doctrine and Duty. Devotion and discipline. Piety and Practice.
Belgic Confession of Faith (1561)

“The Belgic Confession forms part of the Three Forms of Unity of the Reformed Church, which are also the official subordinate standards of the Dutch Reformed Church. It is of the highest authority even above Westminster according to many in the Reformerd church today. The confession’s chief author was Guido de Brès, a preacher of the Reformed churches of the Netherlands, who died a martyr to the faith in 1567, during the Dutch Reformation. De Brès first wrote the Belgic Confession in 1559.
De Brès was a Presbyterian and a Calvinist, and the initial text he prepared was influenced by the Gallic Confession.
(review the differences of ecclesiastical opinion (Presbyterian vs Lutheran vs Anglican) and sacramentalism (Calvin vs Luther vs Zwingli) 
De Brès showed it in draft to others, including Hadrian 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. In 1566, the text of this confession was revised at a synod held at Antwerp. It was adopted by national synods held during the last three decades of the sixteenth century. The Belgic Confession became the basis of a counter to the Arminian controversy that arose in the following century and Arminius opposed the notion that it could be used against his theology. Furthermore, contrary to popular thought and allegations to the contrary, Arminius maintained his affirmation of the Belgic Confession until his death in October 1609. 

App. Enemies of the faith oftentimes profess to believe documents maintaining sound doctrine. 
The text was revised again at the Synod of Dort in 1618–1619, was included in the Canons of Dort (1618–1619), and adopted as one of the doctrinal standards to which all office-bearers and members of the Reformed churches were required to subscribe.

Hist. App. The Christian church in the Reformation era required subscription to this confession for church membership. Many of today’s Reformed churches do not. 

This confession was meant for the Spanish government to show them that the Dutch Protestants were not a radical Anabaptist sectarian movement but demanded a Reformation in the biblical sense against the growing corruptions of the Roman Catholic Church. 

App. We have great need to affirm and reaffirm our differences from the anabaptist sects, because it is right for the state to persecute them. Etymology of persecute. Per-sequi (Lit. Utterly follow, Follow with hostility/intend to harm) 

The text is strongly influenced by Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion” and the creed of the French Huguenots. The creed was printed by Jean Crespin in Geneva. On the night of November 1, 1561, de Bres threw his creed over the castle wall of Tournai, where Margaret of Parma, governor of the Netherlands stayed, to bring the confession to the attention of the Spanish government.” (wiki) 

The cause for the confession was to reaffirm our resolute willingness to be obedient to the state in all lawful matters so as to condemn their persecution of us as both unlawful and unnecessary. The result was a more orderly, thoroughly Reformed confession than had been produced up to that time alongside the Scots which was written a year before. In this respect it bears resemblance to the French confession. Because of its plain and simple theological style, its translation into multiple languages, and its origin in the Netherlands being located at the heart and center of Europe it gained considerably more influence than the Scots and became the primary authoritative Reformed document. Although petitioning for clemency by it, the author of the Belgic confession, Guido de Bres gave his life for the faith in 1567 when he was hung by Spanish authorities in the city of Valenciennes for heresy and spreading doctrine contrary to Roman Catholic teaching. 

App. We are strictly commanded in scripture to obey the magistrate in all things lawful, even giving our lives for the benefit of the kingdom or commonwealth. Nevertheless, we are commanded to obey God above all, and therefore when contest arises between the two it is better for us to die at their hands for disobedience to the state, than to fall into the hands of the living God. “It is a fearful thing….” Hebrews 10:31

Sub. App. Though it is lawful to obey God in defiance to the king, It is not thereby lawful to defy the king. Customs to whom customs, taxes to whom taxes. Fear to whom fear. Honor to whom honor. 

Article 14. Against free will. 
Article 15. Of Original Sin. 
Article 16. Of Eternal election. 
Article 17. Of the recovery of fallen man. 

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/pkk9EAHLXyU