The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume IV / Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts.

by Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

IX. I firmly and religiously believe, that God is the Creator of all Things visible and invisible; that his Power is infinite, and that nothing induc’d him to create the World, but his mere Goodness, which he was indeed pleas’d to communicate to the Things that he created: He form’d the Body of Man from the Clay of the Earth, and dispos’d it in such a manner, that it was capable of being immortal and impassible, not by its own Nature, but thro’ special Grace. As to our Soul, he made it after his own Image and Likeness, he gave it Free Will, and so temper’d its Inclinations and Desires, that it was intirely subject to Reason; and besides all these Advantages, he also gave it original Righteousness: But Adam, the common Father of all Men, for not observing the Injunction that God had laid upon him not to eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, forfeited, as to himself and his Descendants too, that Righteousness in which he had been created: By Consequence

all the Human Race was depriv’d of that Dignity and Excellency in which he was created; and since this Fall it was not possible for Mankind to be restor’d to its primitive State by any Power whatsoever, not even by the Angels themselves; so that, for the Remedy of our Misfortunes, there was an absolute Necessity that the Son of God by his Almighty Efficacy should come and unite himself to our frail Nature, to destroy the infinite Malignity of Sin, and to reconcile God to us by shedding his Blood, as he has done for us; for which may he be for ever glorify’d.

X. I constantly and firmly believe, that God discover’d himself to Moses, that he reveal’d to him every thing that is contain’d in the Book of Genesis, and that he gave him the Table of the Ten Commandments: I believe with St. Augustin, that the Decalogue is the Summary of all Laws: I believe also, as Jesus Christ himself teaches in St. Matthew, Chap. xxii. Ver. 40. That on these Two Commandments, the Love of God, and the Love of one’s Neighbour, hang all the Law and the Prophets.

XI. I believe, that ’tis an indispensable Duty to obey the Law of God; because God himself is the Author of it, and because Jesus Christ has confirm’d and declar’d the same by his own Mouth. I believe also, that whosoever would be sav’d, must obey his Commandments: To think otherwise would be Impiety.

XII. Besides the Commandments of God, I believe ’tis absolutely necessary to believe in the Creed, as it was receiv’d by the Fathers of the

Council of Trent. I acknowledge that Council to be œcumenical: I receive all the Decisions of it without Exception; and I deem them all to be orthodox, and to be sure Rules for conducting me to my Salvation.

XIII. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into Hell; the Third Day he rose again from the Dead, he ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the Right Hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins, the Resurrection of the Body, and the Life everlasting.

Having already mention’d the Reasons why I believe in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, I will say no more upon this Head, and proceed to other Articles of the Creed.

XIV. In the Creed our Saviour is call’d Lord; for since God the Son is everlasting, as well as God the Father, so he is Lord of all Things, as is God the Father. Jesus Christ, as Man, is also for several Reasons call’d Lord: First of all, because he is our Redeemer, and has deliver’d us from our Sins; which made St. Paul say in his Epistle to the Philippians, Chap. ii. Ver. 8, 9, 10, 11. And being found in Fashion as a Man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Cross: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name which is above every Name; that at the Name of

Jesus every Knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and Things in Earth, and Things under the Earth: And that every Tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father. Jesus Christ says also, speaking of himself, in St. Matthew, Chap. xxviii. Ver. 18. All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth. In short, considering the Favours we have receiv’d from Jesus Christ, Are we not his true Slaves? Is it not He who has redeemed us? Is it not He that is our Lord? Ought we not to be for ever at the Service of our Redeemer?