Jihad in Church History⤒🔗

It is especially after 9/11 that many in the West became aware of Muslim radicalism and their drive to engage in jihad. Jihad can be described as a holy war undertaken as a sacred duty by Muslims. Experts on Islam have described this religion as adhering to the sacred duty of executing the wrath of Allah upon infidels. Religious wars and violence instigated by religion or ideology can be most brutal.

Sad to say, also among those who aligned themselves with the Christian church there have at times been those who also inflicted brutality. We think of the days of the Protestant Reformation when during the 16^th century and beyond many who desired to leave the Church of Rome to join Protestant churches suffered greatly. Many lost their lives. This suffering took place throughout many countries in Europe.

Jihad Against Guido de Brès and Protestants←⤒🔗

In the midst of these events there is one event that comes to the foreground. That is what took place on the night between the 1^st and 2^nd of November of 1561, when a small package was thrown over the castle wall of Tournai in what is now known as Belgium. That package contained a letter to king Philip II to stop the persecutions against Reformed believers. Attached to this letter was a copy of the Belgic Confession of Faith. The author was the well-known minister of the Reformed churches, Guido de Brès.

This year it is 450 years ago that this event happened. Therefore it is good to reflect upon some aspects of this historic event. As churches we should not forget what it cost our ancestors to establish and confess the Reformed religion.

Guido de Brès can be considered to be one of the most important church reformers of The Netherlands. He was born in 1522 in what is now known as Belgium, in a town called Mons. He died as a martyr and sealed his confession with his blood. He was hanged in the Flemish city of Valenciennes on May 31 in the year 1567.

To understand the work and the importance of this brave man, it is helpful to consider the times in which he lived. His days were characterized by turmoil and bloodshed to advance the Protestant Reformation. During de Brès’ lifetime many were put to death in Flanders for the sake of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Roman Catholic rulers sought to root out the adherents to this ‘new religion’ and used the most extravagant means available to them. Hundreds were tortured and put to death in the most gruesome manner. Many tried to flee the country, but were betrayed, caught and put to death.

For protection, the ministers used pseudonyms, as did the churches. The church of Antwerp was called Capernaum; the church of Tournai was called ‘The Palm tree.’ Some of the other names were ‘The Rock’ (Steenwercke), The Cornerstone (Wervinq), ‘The Sun’ (Brussels); the church at Lille was called ‘The Rose,’ and Valenciennes ‘The Eagle.’

There were many more churches and pastors that tried to use these means to survive in the midst of the persecutions. For instance, in 1544 Pierre Bruly started to preach the Gospel in Tournai. Prior to this he had served the churches of Lille and Strasbourg. He arrived in Tournai disguised as a merchant. As soon as he arrived, he started to preach and teach, not only in Tournai but also in other cities in the area, such as Lille, Valenciennes, Douai and Arras. He often preached at night to avoid detection. But already after two months he was betrayed and condemned to be burned to death on the market square of Tournai. Soon afterwards, fellow preachers in Tournai were also caught, burned or beheaded.

It seemed as if the Reformed church in Tournai was gone, but in reality the church was still alive. It went underground and continued to grow. (Korteweg, Guido de Brès, p. 117) Reformed religion grew in spite of the fact that many were hunted down and killed by the Inquisition.

Considering the aggression and fanaticism of these persecutors, we can speak of a kind of jihad against the adherents of the Reformation, with this difference, that in our day jihad is carried out by followers of the Muslim faith, while in those days the perpetrators were not Muslims but Roman Catholics.

Jihad Today in Muslim Countries←⤒🔗

What happened in the 16^th century in Flanders is still happening today in parts of the world. Also today, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are killed, burned, kidnapped, falsely accused of blasphemy, imprisoned, stoned and tortured. Today, in Muslim countries there are secret believers. Christians come together in small house churches where they seek to comfort and encourage one another in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.

At times their suffering can be awful. If Muslims leave their faith and become Christians they are ostracized, assaulted and can even be killed. In various Muslim countries the secret police have such groups of Christians under surveillance, seeking to find them out and to silence them. Churches are burned by angry mobs, ministers are murdered and young women are abducted and forced into Muslim marriages. But just as in Flanders, the Lord works in mysterious ways.

Jihad in Afghanistan←⤒🔗

It happened in early 2002, shortly after military coalition forces had forced the Taliban from power in Afghanistan that close to the Tora Bora Mountains a secret meeting took place of Pashtun Christians. These men and women came from Jalalabad, Kunar and Kandahar. Blankets covered the windows. Candles provided some light. The meeting was started with the singing of Psalms in the Pashto language. The song leader was a former mullah with a beautiful chanting voice. His face radiated joy and he spoke in broken English that he wanted to be a mullah for Jesus.

These men had all been devout Muslims but they had become acquainted with the Lord Jesus and the miracles He did. Some listened to Christian radio broadcasts. Others had received special dreams in which they were called to follow Jesus Christ. During this meeting twelve men and two women were baptized. Today there are thousands of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the Pashtun area of Afghanistan. But they are a church in extreme danger. Their lives are at stake. They meet in hiding places. New Testaments are smuggled over the Tora Bora Mountains. (Al Janssen, Secret Believers, pp. 224,225).

One of the men present was Nazim, who returned home to his village after the meeting and started teaching children to read and write, using accounts from the Gospels. Two years later a local Mullah, member of the Taliban, entered Nazim’s house with some other men and beat Nazim severely. They told him to teach the children from the Quran and not from the Gospels. When they left he asked his wife and two children to quickly run and call together family and friends, along with his students. Within a few minutes there were around twenty-five people crowded into his home. In spite of the pain he suffered from his injuries, Nazim spoke to all present giving the account of his spiritual journey. He concluded by reading from the Gospel, saying: “Jesus, by giving His life for us, releases us from the burden of sin and links us with God.” He called his hearers to also follow Jesus. He then fell over and died. (Secret Believers, p. 229).

Cherishing Our Reformed Heritage←⤒🔗

What happened in Flanders in the 16^th century and now in many Muslim countries is in principle the same. It is suffering for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The death of God’s children reminds us of John 12:24:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Guido de Brès and many others gave their lives for the Gospel. Eventually, more than a hundred thousand Protestants fled Flanders and relocated in what is known today as The Netherlands. (Brady, Handbook of European History 1400-1600; Vol. 2, p. 404). The Reformed church became firmly rooted in that nation and it lasted for centuries. In spite of much falling away from the truth, there are still many vibrant Reformed churches in The Netherlands today.

Being aware of our history, let us be very grateful for the miracles of grace God has given to us. Many of us were raised in homes, schools and churches under the blessed truths of the Reformation. Let us be very grateful and humble ourselves on account of so many privileges we have received. On the other hand, let us also realize that we will be held accountable because of all these privileges. What have you and I done with all the truths we have received? Are there fruits in our lives of faith and repentance? Do we have the strong desire to confess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we confess that we lie in the midst of death? Does this give us a true heart-felt sorrow? Do we strive to have the image of the Lord Jesus laid upon our lives?

Finally, let us be in prayer for these persecuted brothers and sisters. Let us view Islam not as a threat but as a challenge. Let us view these people as men and women who have a soul for eternity. Let us pray for the persecuted church in Muslim countries. Let us remember them, for God hears prayer, also our prayers for people we do not even know. But the Lord knows them and He can answer our prayers much more than we can ever imagine. Let us seek to witness to those of other religions. Let us seek to be a light wherever the Lord places us. For the church may not and must not ever be silent about her Lord and Master.

This was the driving force in the life of Guido de Brès.

A Prayer to Become a Jesuit←⤒🔗

It happened that in 1522 an itinerant Italian monk preached in the streets of the Belgian city of Mons. Many people came to hear him. One woman, who was expecting a child, listened attentively to his sermons and was so impressed that she prayed that God would make her unborn child in her womb to be a preacher like this Italian monk. She was a devout Roman Catholic woman with a desire for her child to become a Jesuit. The Jesuits were monks who belonged to the Societas Jesu (the Society of Jesus), established officially in 1534 by Ignatius of Loyola. Their aim was to promote the authority of the Pope of Rome. There were precursors of this movement before the order became officially recognized and this Italian monk preached in the same vein as the Jesuits would do later.

This mother gave birth to a son who was born in 1522. Later, as an adult, this son would become known as Jerome. Contemporaries described him as a tall man of a dark complexion with a fairly long, rather reddish beard, who often dressed in a shabby black coat. He was often in trouble with the authorities and repeatedly he had to flee for his life. Many did not even know his real name. This man was Guy de Brès or Guido de Brès, as we know him.

Guido was born during a very tumultuous time. Martin Luther had just started the Protestant Reformation. His books had been translated into Dutch and smuggled also into the Low Countries. Among the Augustinian monks there were several who adhered to Luther’s teaching. Already in 1523 two of them were publicly burned to death in Brussels: Hendrik Voes and Johannes van Essen.

His Conversion←⤒🔗

Apparently these new doctrines did not affect the family in which Guido was raised. His mother raised her children in the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. However, as Guido grew up, a great change took place in him because he was led to investigate the doctrines of the Reformation. This resulted in his conversion. How this exactly took place is not clear but apparently it had begun by Guido starting to read the Bible. Reading through the Bible consecutively was the means the Lord used to convert him. It is not clear how Guido had come to have access to the Holy Scriptures, because the common people were not allowed to read the Bible. Maybe it had something to do with his occupation. He was born into a family of glass painters. Could it be that in order to engrave texts from Scripture his family was allowed to own a Bible? Whatever happened, it is clear that the Word of God had a life-changing influence on Guido de Brès.

De Brès became convinced that the Roman Catholic Church was in error and needed a drastic reformation. According to his own testimony this spiritual change took place before he had reached the age of 25. When spiritual life was awakened in his heart he thought of his mother’s prayer and desire that he would become a member of the Jesuit order. He felt that he could never join this order of monks. He now knew that sinners are saved, not by works, but only by the grace of God based on the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ and is received by faith alone.

In reality, however, de Brès did become a Jesuit, but not according to the Roman Catholic order of the Jesuits. He became a Jesuit in the true sense of the word because he became a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the end of his life, as he was awaiting his execution, he wrote a letter to his mother reminding her of the prayer she sent up 45 years earlier. The Lord had heard her prayer, but answered it differently than she had expected. The Lord had called him, not to become a Jesuit monk, but to be a true follower of Jesus to preach the Word of Jesus and the apostles.

Guido saw himself as a true follower of Jesus in contrast to the Jesuits who according to his assessment were not followers of the Lord Jesus at all. Because of his commitment to the Lord Jesus, the life of de Brès would be one of constant wandering and severe hardship, eventually leading to his premature death as a martyr.

The conversion of de Brès was not an impulsive act instigated by mere emotion. Rather, it was the result of his continual personal reading of the Scriptures. He knew what he believed. When later, monks tried to convince him to retract his religious views, Guido was adamant in his conviction that he had embraced the truth.

In England←⤒🔗

In 1548, the year following his conversion, we find that de Brès is a member of the underground church of Mons. Persecutions had become so severe that he had to flee the city of his birth. He was able to escape to England, where under the reign of the young King Edward VI, there was freedom for Reformed believers. It was in the refugee congregation of London that de Brès received much instruction in the true faith. On Tuesdays the members of the congregation would meet for Bible study and would examine various Bible commentaries. They also considered homiletic aspects of the text and sought to apply the text to their personal life. On Thursdays the members met to discuss the sermon of the past Lord’s Day and to ask the ministers questions.

These meetings had a two-fold result. On the one hand, the members gained insight into the Scriptures and on the other hand, it led to various young men feeling that they were called to preach the gospel. It was here that de Brès also became convinced of his God-given duty to preach the gospel. In London, Guido probably heard lectures in exegesis of the Old and New Testaments. The Dutch refugee church in London became the matrix from which the Reformed church of the Netherlands would come forth and it was here also that the basis was laid for de Brès’ further work as a church reformer.

Establishing Reformed Churches and Interpretation of Scripture←⤒🔗

In 1552 Guido felt compelled to return to his native country to be actively engaged in preaching the gospel. In the southern parts of the Lowlands people were anxious to hear the preaching of the Word of God. Immediately on his return, de Brès started an itinerant ministry. His domicile was in the northern French city of Lille (Rijssel). Guido organized this small underground Reformed church according to Reformed church order. A consistory was established with elders, deacons and a minister. Soon, the congregation started to grow.

The principles of exegesis (interpretation) he followed were according to the so-called analogia fidei, meaning that the text must be explained in conformity with other Scripture passages. De Brès held that passages of Scripture are to be exegeted with the help of other passages of Scripture. Within this framework of exegesis he also saw the need to study the original languages of Scripture. Important is also that de Brès, contrary to Rome, emphasized the primary Reformed principle of exegesis that it is not the church which has priority over the Scriptures, but it is the other way around: the Holy Scriptures have authority over the church.

A Life of Persecution←⤒🔗

The labours of de Brès in Lille lasted from 1552 to 1555. During these years the Inquisition arrested several of his church members. One example of persecution and martyrdom is what happened when the Oguier or Orguier family was arrested (Foxe, Acts and Monuments IV, p. 395 and Haemstedius, Historie der Martelaren, p. 477). This was a God-fearing family consisting of father Robert; mother Jeanne; two sons: Baudechon and Martin; and two daughters: Mariette and Toinette. The parents and the two sons were arrested and interrogated and accused of not attending mass as well as having church services in their home.

During the interrogation father Robert responded that they could not attend mass because it was an invention of man and not instituted by God. He rejected the need for the repeated sacrifice of Christ. He said that even though the authorities commanded everyone to attend mass, he had to be more obedient to God than to man.

He and his oldest son Baudechon were tortured in order to extract names of other believers. They did not reveal any names except the ones the judges already knew. Both were condemned to be burned to death. In the end, a Roman Catholic priest tried to convince them to recant their Reformed views and return to the mother church of Rome. These attempts failed.

Jeanne and her other son Martin were condemned to the same punishment of being burned to death. The inquisitors told her and her son that her husband and oldest son had already recanted, a means that was customary to put pressure on the accused to give up their convictions. The Oguier family remained faithful to the end, encouraging one another, even in the midst of the flames.

De Brès Meets Calvin and Beza←⤒🔗

These were the terrible conditions under which Guido de Brès carried out the ministry of the gospel. When the persecutions became worse and worse, he decided to move to the Flemish city of Ghent. However, persecutions were also severe in this Flemish city and so de Brès decided to move on to Frankfurt am Main in Germany, where he stayed for a number of months in 1556.

Here he met John Calvin who visited the city in September 1556 to resolve a dispute that had arisen in the congregation. De Brès carried on further correspondence with Calvin and moved to Switzerland to receive more formal theological instruction. In late 1556, Guido moved to Lausanne to receive lessons in Greek, Hebrew and theology under Theodore Beza. One and a half years later, in 1558, when Beza moved to Geneva, de Brès followed him. In Geneva, de Brès came under the instruction and preaching of John Calvin.

Soon, in 1559, he felt called to return to Tournai (Doornik), which became his base for an itinerant ministry throughout the southern part of the Netherlands. When he arrived there, several members of the congregation of Tournai had been burned alive, while the home of widow Raiste de Coron had been demolished because she had allowed the church to meet in her home. Fifty members had been banished from the city (Korteweg, Guido de Brès, p.118).

This was the condition of the church in Tournai when Guido arrived. However it was in that same year, in 1559, that at the age of 37 he was married to Catherine Ramon. Their marriage was blessed with five children, but would only last seven years, due to de Brès’ premature death as a martyr.

A Sheep Sent Among Wolves←⤒🔗

Guido de Brès, raised as a Roman Catholic, embraced the doctrines of the Reformation and became an itinerant preacher in the southern part of the Netherlands, in what we now call Belgium. In 1559, he became minister at Tournai (Doornik), where he stayed until 1562. The situation was most dangerous; the persecutions were severe. Several members of the congregation had been tortured and burned to death. Many others were banished and their possessions confiscated. De Brès was like a sheep in the midst of wolves (Matt. 10:16). He not only laboured in Tournai but ministered in many churches in Flanders all the way from Antwerp to Lille (Rijssel).

His Method←⤒🔗

De Brès had an unusual method of proclaiming the truth to non-believers. He focused especially upon the wealthier and more influential people in the city. He tried to gain them for the Reformation, subsequently using their homes for secret meetings, where they in turn would invite their friends and acquaintances. These meetings had the appearance of social visits. They would enjoy a meal together, but prior to the meal they would listen to a sermon. De Brès would open and conclude the meal with prayer. During the meal he tried to convince those present of the truth of the Reformed faith. After the meal, Guido discussed another portion of Scripture with them. This method had great success. Various influential people were gained for the Reformation and several made a public confession of faith. Guido was known by the name of Jerome and many of his church members did not even know his real name (Korteweg, Guido de Brès, p.121).

Eventually, many in Tournai were gained for the Reformed principles of faith and the magistrates even became tolerant of the Reformed faith. In 1561, de Brès could say that nearly half the population of Tournai had been gained for the Reformation. However, the tide would turn. The cause was not so much the government, but concerned the behaviour of members of the church. Roman Catholic processions were customary and dominant in the city. Several members of the church became disenchanted with the fact that the Reformed churches were not allowed to have such a form of public appearance. Some thought the time was ripe for a change. Around eight o’clock in the evening of September 29, 1561, a few hundred men and women assembled for a procession through the city, loudly singing Psalms. This was the first of several processions, called chanteries, which were held.

The (Belgic) Confession of Faith←⤒🔗

This public provocation caused much damage to the work of de Brès. No longer could he engage in secret meetings to gain influential people for the Reformation. The Reformed were now viewed as revolutionaries and this would have dire consequences. The central government in Brussels took control of the situation and chanteries unleashed persecution. Also, a conflict arose between de Brès and a segment of his congregation because de Brès was totally opposed to the chanteries. Eventually, Guido had to flee from the city of Tournai. However, the chanteries compelled de Brès to write a statement that expounded the contents of the Reformed faith. This document would later become known as the Belgic Confession of Faith.

Another consequence was that de Brès continued his itinerant ministry. On December 1561, while preaching in the city of Amiens, the authorities captured him. His pulpit was burned and the furniture he used was confiscated. But because the authorities did not know his true identity, after two months he was discharged from prison. He was known only as Jerome.

Betrayed←⤒🔗

As soon as de Brès was set free, in February 1562, he left Amiens, but he could not return to Tournai. On January 10, 1562, government officials had discovered the residence where Guido stayed in Tournai. It belonged to a rich citizen, De Moyeulx, one of Guido’s best friends. In the backyard was a garden shed, like a small closed-in gazebo, which de Brès used as his study. It was here that he kept his excellent library, which included works of the reformers: Calvin, Luther, Melanchton, Zwingli, Bucer, Brenz, Oecolampadius, and others. Here he also stored two hundred copies of his Confession of Faith. The authorities also found notes in Greek and Hebrew written by de Brès, which showed that he was a learned man and a well-educated theologian. The authorities also found the membership list of the Reformed church of Tournai.

De Brès had been betrayed. As soon as the members of the congregation realized this, they decided to burn down the gazebo. As the flames were rising, the magistrates arrived and were able to douse the flames. The whole library, together with de Brès’ correspondence, was confiscated. Later, it was burned at the orders of the government. The owner of the property, De Moyeulx, was able to flee, but all his possessions were confiscated. It became obvious that to escape the Inquisition de Brès had to stay away from the city.

The Reformation Continues←⤒🔗

In the meantime, the harsh measures taken by the government seemed to have had success. Already in 1562 the Roman Catholic churches in Tournai were again filled to capacity. Yet the Reformed movement continued, but now underground, until a year later, on May 2, 1563, two thousand people gathered on the city square for a public chanterie. Magistrates were abused, Roman Catholic clergy were threatened and preaching took place outside the city in the open air where there were large gatherings of people. Again, the authorities in Brussels took sharp measures. People were put to death and many others were banished from the city.

After the flight from Tournai, de Brès ended up in the French city of Sedan, which was an independent kingdom from 1547 until 1642. In 1562 the local duke, Henri Robert de la Marck, had joined the Reformation and offered reprieve to Reformed refugees in his kingdom. Sedan became a centre of Reformed activity. It was here that Guido lived in relative peace with his family until July 1566, when the church of Antwerp requested his help. The minister of Valenciennes, Peregrin de la Grange, requested Guido to assist him in the preaching of God’s Word. Guido agreed. On his way to Valenciennes he stopped at Tournai, his beloved city, where he preached a sermon the next day and was accompanied by his friends when he made his way out of the city. In the night of August 9, de Brès arrived in Valenciennes where he was joyfully received by a large crowd of people. He became their minister, but his ministry would be short-lived. Already after a number of months he would be taken captive and eventually be put to death.

Persecution←⤒🔗

In 1566 about two-thirds of the population of Valenciennes had become adherents of the Reformation movement. Daily, open air preaching was conducted outside the city walls during the month of August 1566. Then, on August 24, iconoclasms took place in Valenciennes and images in churches were smashed. The following day, de Brès and Peregrin de la Grange preached in the churches that had been emptied of images, which were now filled with Reformed believers.

Events now took place rapidly. Initially, the govern­ment was willing to permit preaching to the Reformed believers in the open air outside the city walls on the condition that they would vacate the churches. The Reformed were willing to accept this proposal, but king Philip II of Spain vetoed this arrangement. He would not give any concessions to the Protestants. The result was that his government declared the city of Valenciennes to be in rebellion against the king. In January 1567, the city of Tournai had suffered a similar fate and surrendered.

An army was sent to Valenciennes under the command of general Noircarmes to lay siege to the city, which lasted from December 1566 until March 1567. When more than three thousand cannon balls had been aimed at the city, its defenses collapsed, the people had become demoralized, and the city surrendered. While Noircarmes entered the city as conqueror, the city’s church bells chimed the tune of Psalm 22: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”

The authorities demanded ministers to be captured, tortured and killed. But they were nowhere to be found. They hid for five days before they escaped from the city and then hid in the nearby forests. But due to hunger, after many days, they went to an inn to find food. There they were recognized, betrayed and captured (Korteweg, Guido de Brès, p. 233).

Imprisoned←⤒🔗

De Brès and De la Grange were put in prison in Valenciennes, in an appalling place, where normally no prisoners were kept. It was more like a pit and was called le brunain, the brown one, because it was so dirty. At the top were iron bars through which people threw excrements and rubbish and drunkards would urinate (Guido de Brès, Gevangen om het Evangelie, p. 24).

From this prison Guido de Brès wrote two letters to the church of Valenciennes, in which he encouraged them not to give up the doctrine or fall away from the truth as some had done. He writes: “if I would have a hundred thousand lives to confirm this doctrine, I would venture to give them all into death.” He also wrote a moving letter to his wife, stating that he is quite well, but suffers most from the grief she is enduring for him. He encourages her with the words that God led all these events and He knows how to turn all things to our good. Finally, he also wrote a letter to his mother, stating that it is painful for a mother and child to separate but it is far more painful to be separated from God and eternal salvation.

On May 31 1567 at 3 a.m. de Brès and De la Grange were told that they would be executed at 6 a.m. in front of the city hall. They were to be hanged. De la Grange would be hanged first. Before being put on the gallows, he asked for a brush. Surprised, they asked why he needed that. He answered, “To brush my clothes and polish my boots, as I am attending the wedding feast of the Lamb.” Then de Brès was led to the gallows. He kneeled down to pray, but the executioners pulled him up. With the noose around his neck, he admonished the people who had come to watch, to persevere in the doctrine according to God’s Word. The executioners didn’t allow him to finish.

Following de Brès’ execution a revolt broke out among the spectators, which led to ten of them being killed by soldiers (Korteweg, Guido de Brès, p. 273). Thus died this reformer of the Netherlands. But it was not the end of the Reformation in that country.

The Weapon of the Christian Faith←⤒🔗

Guido de Brès (1522-1567) lived and died as a faithful witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. He desired that also the churches would be faithful to the doctrines of God’s Word. Therefore, already in 1555, he wrote a defense of the Christian faith.

This book was intended to teach the early Reformed Christians how to defend themselves against the interrogators of the Inquisition. The doctrines of God’s Word are clearly explained in this book, which he called, Le baston de la foy chrestienne, known today as The Staff of Faith. It is, however, doubtful that de Brès would have translated the title of his book the same way. The French word baston does indeed mean stick or staff. But in the 16^th century the word baston was more often used to signify a weapon, especially hand-held weapons such as daggers, swords or spears. Especially this last weapon was very effective to keep enemies at a distance and this is what Guido de Brès intended with this book.

In Defense of the Faith←⤒🔗

De Brès accumulated various sayings of the church fathers, texts from Scripture and synodical decrees, which are useful to defend the Christian faith against the enemies of the truth. In his prologue, he writes that this weapon will not protect one from being hurt by the enemies, but it will give strength and insight to overcome them. He describes how God’s children are cast into foul-smelling dungeons with broken limbs due to torments of the rack. On the other hand, their accusers, well-fed and corpulent people with ruddy facial complexions due to over-indulgence of wine, interrogate the poor suffering children of God. These interrogators often say: “Come ugly heretic, cursed deceiver of the people, you are possessed of the devil.” When these poor Christians want to open their mouths to defend themselves, their tormentors immediately place their hand upon the Bible and claim to have the truth (Guido de Brès, Het Wapen van het Christelijk Geloof, pp. 15, 19).

Background←⤒🔗

Two books written by a Roman Catholic apologist, Grenier, formed the background to Brès’ book: The Sword of the Faith (L’espee de la Foy) and The Shield of Faith (Le Bouclier de la Foy). These books were very popular among adherents to the Roman Catholic faith. In response to these two books, de Brès wrote Le Baston de Foy (The Weapon of Faith). Immediately, it became a best seller.

Between 1555 and 1601 there were at least sixteen re-prints by at least nine different publishing houses (Korteweg, Guido de Brès, p. 68). Many copies were destroyed because of persecutions. It outlines the doctrines of God’s Word in 23 chapters, explaining the attributes of God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the law, free will, justification, the Mediator, the church, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, God’s Word, government and refutations of the heresies of Rome. It is a very clear and helpful scriptural foundation of the Reformed faith.

No New Doctrines←⤒🔗

Guido wanted to show that the doctrines of the Reformation were not new, but that they had always been confessed and defended by Christians throughout the ages. Parents are called upon to instruct their children in the truths of God’s Word and he warns them:

Now you still have the time to manage your affairs well, with the good means God gives you, so that your descendents will not have to complain that you have given them a bad example. Let them not be able to say after your demise from this world: ‘We had parents and forefathers who knew much about God, but they were more afraid to lose the friendship of the world than of God.’ You must be very much alert against this, for this would be to your great shame. Wapen, p. 22

Confession of Reformed Truth←⤒🔗

De Brès actually intended his book to be a confession of the Reformed truth over against the enemies of the gospel. Later, Guido wrote a much smaller booklet, also intended to be a confession of the Reformed faith. This book was not to be given in the first place to the members of the church but to the persecutors, the governors and all who were outside the Reformed church. This booklet became to be known as Confession de Foy. The full translation of the title is: Confession of Faith made in common agreement by the believers who are scattered everywhere throughout The Netherlands, who desire to live according to the purity of the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We now know this confession of faith as the Belgic Confession of Faith. Together with the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort it constitutes the Three Forms of Unity, adopted by all Dutch churches of Reformed persuasion. It appeared first in 1561 as an appeal to the authorities to stop the persecution of Reformed believers. As a response to the chanteries, which were public processions of Reformed believers boastfully singing psalms at night, the government issued harsh measures. De Brès never approved of these chanteries and had distanced himself from them. He tried to pacify the government by drafting this confession and passing it on to the authorities.

A Package Over The Castle Wall←⤒🔗

Towards the end of October 1561, de Brès put a little package together. It contained a copy of the Confession of Faith, letters addressed to King Philip II of Spain and to the magistrates, as well as a letter to the local authorities of Tournai. In the night of November 1, 1561, this package was cast over the castle wall in Tournai. This year it is 450 years ago that this took place.

The letter Guido wrote to the authorities warns them that if their persecution would continue the authorities would be igniting a full-scale revolution, because there were more than one hundred thousand adherents to this new doctrine in The Netherlands alone.

He writes:

Never has the Gospel been suppressed by persecutions. One cannot put fire out by adding more wood to it, as it will then only burn more fiercely. For one of us being killed, one hundred will come in his place, as you yourself can testify. Cease therefore this violence and no longer force us to do matters that go against our conscience. What is gained if by your threats and terrors the poor people of God are led to idolatry (the mass)?Bakhuizen van den Brink, De Nederlandse Belijdenisgeschriften, p. 5

According to the title page, the confession was published in compliance with 1 Peter 3:15:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

An Original and Specific Confession←⤒🔗

De Brès knew of the French Confession of 1560 and made use of it, but he also knew very well what kind of confession the Reformed churches in The Netherlands needed. Therefore, he did not merely copy the French Confession but he wrote an original document, a Reformed Confession specifically suited for the churches of The Netherlands.

Already in 1562, the Confession was translated into Dutch and was generally recognized in 1563 as a symbol of unity by the Dutch churches. Delegates to synods had to express agreement with it. Later, this was sanctioned by several other synods of the Reformed Churches in The Netherlands.

The Confession was written against the backdrop of prevailing persecutions. Yet, it was not a dated confession focusing on contemporary issues, but a clear summary of the Word of God as a living testimony of the faith of Reformed churches to those who were outside.

Heart Religion Rooted in the Word←⤒🔗

De Brès emphasized that faith is a matter of the heart. Article 1 confesses that we believe with the heart. The contents of faith is the Word of God alone. Therefore this confession is timeless. It still provides answers to questions people ask today, 450 years later. De Brès’ confession was about the truth and a matter of life and death. He was willing not only to give his own life for this confession but he would give a hundred thousand lives if he could.

His confession is rooted in the work of the Triune God. He knew of the love of Christ as he stated in Article 26: “For there is no creature either in heaven or on earth who loveth us more than Jesus Christ.” Guido’s aim to convince the government that the Reformed believers were not revolutionaries so that the authorities would cease their persecution was never reached. On the contrary, the government took measures to hinder the distribution of the Confession and increased the persecutions.

The Church Remains

But the church grew. For God’s work cannot be stopped, as stated in Article 27:

This Church hath been from the beginning of the world, and will be to the end thereof; which is evident from this, that Christ is an eternal King, which, without subjects, cannot be. And this holy church is preserved or supported by God against the rage of the whole world...

The Confession ends with the expectation of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, as stated in Article 37:

Therefore we expect that great day with a most ardent desire to the end that we may fully enjoy the promises of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, AMEN.

Guido de Brès never lived to see the firm planting of the Reformed Church in The Netherlands, but he died in the conviction that God is the One who begins and who finishes His work. In his Baston as well as in his Confession de Foy, de Brès started with his firm conviction that God is the First and the Last and that He is a most abundant Fountain of all good.

That conviction must also be our motivation and hope in the days in which we live. In our day of relativism and post-modernism, let us as churches stand firm on the biblical truths articulated in the Belgic Confession of Faith. Let us be grateful to God for men such as Guido de Brès who were greatly used by the Lord for the promotion of His truth.