CONFESSIO BELGICA.
The Belgic Confession. A.D. 1561. Revised 1619.
[The Belgic Confession, composed in French by Guy de Brès (died a martyr, 1567) for the Churches in Flanders and the Netherlands, 1561, was adopted by a Reformed Synod at Emden, 1571, and by the National Synod of Dort, 1619, which subjected the text to a careful revision by a comparison of French, Dutch, and Latin copies.
The French text is taken from the authentic MS. of 1580, with the revision of Dort, as reprinted by the Société évanigelique Belge, at Brussels, 1850, under the title, La Confession de foi des églises réformées Walonnes et Flamandes, including a table of various readings. The headings of articles are supplemented from the Latin editions.
The English text (made from the Latin) is the one authorized by the 'Reformed (Dutch) Church in America,' and printed in its Constitution, etc. (New York, 103 Fulton Street). An older English version in the English Harmony of Confessions, Cambridge, 1586, and a recent one by Owen Jones, in Church of the Living God, etc. London, 1865, pp. 203-237.
A Latin translation, probably made by Beza, or under his direction, appeared in the Harmonia Confessionum, Geneva, 1581, and in the first edition of the Corpus et Syntagma Confessionum, Geneva, 1612; another, by Festus Hommius, Leyden, 1618; this was revised by the Synod of Dort, reprinted (as revised) in the second edition of the Corp. et Syntag. (1654), and (in its original form), with various readings, in Niemeyer's Collectio (pp. 360-389). It is also given in the Oxford Sylloge Confessionum (pp. 327-354). The Latin texts in these editions differ considerably.
There are several Dutch and German editlons, and a Greek version (ekklesion tes Belgikis exomologesis), made by Jac. Revius (Lugd. Batav. 1635, and Amstelod. 1638). The Greek edition before me (Utrecht, 1660) gives the Greek and Latin in parallel columns, and contains also the Heidelberg Catechism in Latin, with the Greek version of Fred. Sylburg.]
La Confession de Foi The Confession of Faith DES OF THE ÉGLISES RÉFORMÉES WALLONNES ET FLAMANDES. REFORMED CHURCH.
[De l'ancien text du manuscrit authentique de 1580, avec la révision de Dortrecht de 1619.]
Revised in the National Synod, held at Dordrecht, in the Years 1618 and 1619. Art. I Art. I. DE NATURA DEI. THERE IS ONE ONLY GOD. Nous croyons tous de coeur et confessons de bouche, qu'il y a une seule et simple essence [307] spirituelle, [308] laquelle nous appelons Dieu éternel, [309] incomprehensible, [310] invisible, [311] immutable, [312] infini; [313] lequel est tout puissant, tout sage, [314] juste, [315] et bon, [316] We all believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth, that there is one only simple and spiritual Being, which we call God; and that he is eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, immutable, infinite, almighty, perfectly wise,
et source très-abondante de tous biens. [317] just, good, and the overflowing fountain of all good. [318] Art. II. Art. II. DE COGNITIONE DEI. BY WHAT MEANS GOD IS MADE KNOWN UNTO US. Nous le connaissons par deux moyens. Premièrement: Par la création, conservation et gouvernement du monde universel, [319] d'autant que c'est devant nos yeux comme un beau livre, auquel toutes créatures, petites et grandes, servent de lettres pour nous faire contempler les choses invisibles de Dieu, savoir sa puissance éternelle et sa divinité, comme dit l'Apôtre saint Paul (Rom. i. 20). Toutes lesquelles choses sont suffisantes pour convaincre les hommes, et les rendre inexcusables. We know him by two means: first, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe; which is before our eyes as a most elegant book, wherein all creatures, great and small, are as so many characters leading us to contemplate the invisible things of God, namely, his eternal power and Godhead, as the Apostle Paul saith (Rom. i. 20). All which things are sufficient to convince men, and leave them without excuse. Secondement: Il se donne à connaître à nous plus manifestement et évidemment par sa sainte et divine Parole, [320] tout autant pleinement qu'il nous est de besoin en cette vie pour sa gloire et le salut des siens. Secondly, he makes himself more clearly and fully known to us by his holy and divine Word; that is to say, as far as is necessary for us to know in this life, to his glory and our salvation. Art. III. Art. III. DE SACRA SCRIPTURA. OF THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD. Nous confessons que cette Parole de Dieu n'a point été envoyée We confess that this Word of God was not sent nor delivered
ni apportée par volonté humaine: mais les saints hommes de Dieu ont parlé étant poussés du Saint-Esprit, comme dit saint Pierre. [321] Puis après, par le soin singulier que notre Dieu a de nous et de notre salut, il a commandé à ses serviteurs les Prophètes [322] et Apôtres [323] de rédiger ses oracles par écrit: et lui-même a écrit de son doigt les deux Tables de la Loi. [324] Pour cette cause, nous appelons tels écrits: Écritures saintes et divines. by the will of man, but that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, as the Apostle Peter saith. And that afterwards God, from a special care which he has for us and our salvation, commanded his servants, the Prophets and Apostles, to commit his revealed Word to writing; and he himself wrote with his own finger the two tables of the law. Therefore we call such writings holy and divine Scriptures. Art. IV. Art. IV. DE CANONICIS LIBRIS VETERIS ET NOVI TESTAMENTI. CANONICAL BOOKS OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Nous comprenons l'Écriture Sainte aux deux volumes du l'ieux et du Nouveau Testament, qui sont livres canoniques, auxquels il n'y a rien à répliquer. Le nombre en est tel en l'Eglise de Dieu. We believe that the Holy Scriptures are contained in two books, namely, the Old and New Testaments, which are canonical, against which nothing can be alleged. These are thus named in the Church of God. Dans l'Ancien Testament: Les cinq livres de Moïse, le livre de Josué, des Juges, Ruth, les deux livres de Samuël, et deux des Rois, les deux livres des Chroniques dits Paralipomènes, le premier d'Esdras, Néhémie, Ester, Job, les Psaumes de David, les trois livres de Salomon, savoir: les Proverbes, l'Écclésiaste, et le Cantique; les quatre grands Prophètes: Esaïe, The books of the Old Testament are: the five books of Moses, viz., Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; the book of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, two books of Samuel, and two of the Kings, two books of the Chronicles, commonly called Paralipomenon, the first of Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther; Job, the Psalms of David, the three books of Solomon, namely,
Jérémie, Ezéchiel, et Daniel. Puis les autres douze petits Prophètes: Osée, Joël, Amos, Abdias, Jonas, Michée, Nahum, Habacuc, Sophonie, Aggée, Zacharie, Malachie. the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs; the four great Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel; and the twelve lesser Prophets, viz., Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Dans le Nouveau Testament: les quatre Évangélistes, saint Matthieu, saint Marc, saint Luc, saint Jean; les Actes des Apôtres, les quatorze Épîtres de saint Paul: aux Romains, deux aux Corinthiens, aux Galates, Éphésiens, Philippiens, Colossiens, deux aux Thessaloniciens, deux à Timothée, à Tite, Philémon, aux Hébreux; et les sept Épîtres des autres Apôtres, savoir une de saint Jacques, deux de saint Pierre, trois de saint Jean, et une de saint Jude; enfin l'Apocalypse de saint Jean Apôtre. Those of the New Testament are: the four Evangelists, viz., Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Acts of the Apostles; the fourteen Epistles of the Apostle Paul, viz., one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galatians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, two to Timothy, one to Titus, one to Philemon, and one to the Hebrews; the seven Epistles of the other Apostles, viz., one of James, two of Peter, three of John, one of Jude; and the Revelation of the Apostle John. Art. V. Art. V. DE AUCTORITATE SACRÆ SCRIPTURÆ. WHENCE DO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES DERIVE THEIR DIGNITY AND AUTHORITY. Nous recevons tous ces livres-là seulement, pour saints et canoniques, pour régler, fonder et établir notre foi, et croyons pleinement toutes les choses qui y sont contenues, non pas tant parce que l'Eglise les reçoit et approuve tels, mais principalement parce que le Saint-Esprit nous rend témoignage We receive all these books, and these only, as holy and canonical, for the regulation, foundation, and confirmation of our faith; believing, without any doubt, all things contained in them, not so much because the Church receives and approves them as such, but more especially because the Holy Ghost
en notre coeur, qu'ils sont de Dieu, et aussi qu'ils sont approuvés tels par eux-mêmes; car les aveugles mêmes peuvent apercevoir que les choses adviennent qui y sont prédites. witnesseth in our hearts that they are from God, whereof they carry the evidence in themselves. For the very blind are able to perceive that the things foretold in them are fulfilling. Art. VI. Art. VI. DE DISCRIMINE LIBRORUM CANONICORUM ET APOCRYPHORUM. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CANONICAL AND APOCRYPHAL BOOKS. Nous mettons différence entre ces saints livres et les livres apocryphes, qui sont le troisième et quatrième livre d'Esdras, le livre de Tobie, Judith, Sapience, Ecclésiastique, Baruc, ce qui a été ajouté à l'histoire d'Ester, le cantique des trois Enfants en la fournaise, l'histoire de Susanne, l'histoire de l'idole Bel et du Dragon, l'Oraison de Manassé, et les deux livres des Maccabées, lesquels l'Église peut bien lire et y prendre instruction dans les choses conformes aux livres canoniques; mais ils n'ont point telle force et vertu que par un témoignage qui en est tiré, on puisse arrêter quelque chose de la foi ou religion chrétienne, tant s'en faut qu'ils puissent ramoindrir l'autorité des autres saints livres. We distinguish these sacred books from the apocryphal, viz., the third and fourth book of Esdras, the books of Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Jesus Syrach, Baruch, the appendix to the book of Esther, the Song of the Three Children in the Furnace, the History of Susannah, of Bell and the Dragon, the Prayer of Manasses, and the two books of Maccabees. All which the Church may read and take instruction from, so far as they agree with the canonical books; but they are far from having such power and efficacy as that we may from their testimony confirm any point of faith or of the Christian religion; much less to detract from the authority of the other sacred books. Art. VII. Art. VII. DE PERFECTIONE SACRÆ SCRIPTURÆ. THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES TO BE THE ONLY RULE OF FAITH. Nous croyons que cette Écriture Sainte contient parfaitement la volonté divine, et que tout ce que We believe that these Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and that whatsoever man ought to
l'homme doit croire pour être sauvé, y est suffisamment enseigné. [325] Car puisque toute la manière du service que Dieu requiert de nous y est très au long décrite, les hommes, même fussent-ils Apôtres, ne doivent enseigner autrement [326] que ce qui nous a été enseigné par les Saintes Écritures, encore même que ce fût un ange du Ciel, comme dit saint Paul: [327] car puisqu'il est défendu d'ajouter ni diminuer à la Parole de Dieu, [328] cela démontre bien que la doctrine est trés-parfaite et accomplie en toutes sortes. Aussi ne faut-il pas comparer les écrits des hommes, quelque saints qu'ils aient été, aux écrits divins, [329] ni la coutume à la vérité de Dieu [330] (car la vérité est par-dessus tout), ni le grand nombre, ni l'ancienneté, ni la succession des temps ni des personnes, ni les conciles, décrets, ou arrêts: car tous hommes d'eux-mêmes sont menteurs, [331] et plus vains que la vanité même. C'est pourquoi nous rejetons de tout notre coeur tout ce qui ne s'accorde believe unto salvation, is sufficiently taught therein. For since the whole manner of worship which God requires of us is written in them at large, it is unlawful for any one, though an Apostle, to teach otherwise than we are now taught in the Holy Scriptures: nay, though it were an angel from heaven, as the Apostle Paul saith. For since it is forbidden to add unto or take away any thing from the Word of God, it doth thereby evidently appear that the doctrine thereof is most perfect and complete in all respects. Neither may we compare any writings of men, though ever so holy, with those divine Scriptures; nor ought we to compare custom, or the great multitude, or antiquity, or succession of times or persons, or councils, decrees, or statutes, with the truth of God, for the truth is above all: for all men are of themselves liars, and more vain than vanity itself. Therefore we reject with all our hearts whatsoever doth not agree with this infallible rule, which the