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

By these Words, he sitteth at the Right Hand of God, the Father Almighty, I don’t believe, that he actually sitteth, this being one of the figurative Expressions us’d in the Scripture: God has nothing corporeal, and by Consequence has no Right Hand, and is not seated: Therefore when the Creed saith, that Jesus Christ sitteth on his Right Hand, ’tis also a figurative Term, which

the Scripture makes Use of to denote the glorious State to which our Lord Jesus Christ, as Man, was advanc’d above all other Creatures. This Expression he sitteth, signifies the stable and permanent Possession of the Glory and Sovereign Power which Jesus Christ receiv’d from his Father, who, according to the Apostle to the Ephesians, Chap. i. Ver. 20, 21. Raised him from the Dead, and set him at his own Right Hand in the heavenly Places, far above all Principality and Power, and Might and Dominion, and every Name that is named, not only in this World, but also in that which is to come.

As to the Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven, I believe, that it was absolutely necessary: ’Twas requisite that Jesus Christ should set up his Throne in Heaven to prove, that his Kingdom was not of this World, that it was not a transitory or an earthly Kingdom, as the Jews fancied, but that his Kingdom was spiritual.

He also chose to ascend into Heaven, to the end that his Ascension might raise a Desire in us to follow him, and at the same time to fulfil the Promise that he made to his Apostles, when he told them, John xvi. Ver. 7. It is expedient for you, that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: But if I depart, I will send him unto you. Finally, Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, to be our Advocate with his Father; as St. John says in his first Epistle, Chap. ii. Ver. 1, 2. My little Children, these Things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the Propitiation for our Sins.

Jesus Christ ascended also into Heaven, to prepare a Place there for us, as he had promis’d us, and in quality of our Head, to take Possession of

Glory For us, and to open for us the Gates of it, which had, ever since the Fall of Adam till that time, been shut up.

XXIII. I believe, that Jesus Christ shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead, because the Holy Scripture assures me, that the Son of God is to come twice upon Earth. The first time was, when for our Salvation he was pleas’d to assume the human Nature; and the second will be, when he cometh at the End of the World to judge all Mankind; when this will happen I know not, but that it will happen, I am however very certain. Of this St. Matthew assures me, Chap. xxiv. Ver. 36. But of that Day and Hour knoweth no Man, no not the Angels of Heaven, but my Father only.

As to the Manner how we shall be judg’d; I believe, there are Two ways: The first Judgment will be, when my Soul forsakes my Body. I shall appear that Instant before God’s Tribunal, to give him an exact Account of every thing that I have done, said, and thought. The second will be, when I shall appear with all Mankind that ever had a Being in the World, to receive the Judgment that it shall then please God to pronounce: Every one will there appear as he has been in this Life; and this Judgment will be the universal Judgment: This universal Judgment is absolutely necessary; and because Men have only committed Good and Evil by the Instrumentality of their Bodies, ’tis but just that their Bodies, as well as their Souls, should have a Share in the Reward or Punishment due to the Good and to the Wicked; which can only be done, when all Men rise again, and at the time of the universal Judgment. In fine, what persuades

me that there must be an universal Judgment is, that Jesus himself assures us of it in St. Matthew, and tells us of all the Signs that are to be the Forerunners of that great Day. In like manner the Acts of the Apostles also prove it to us, Chap. i. Ver. 11. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven.

XXIV. I believe in the Holy Ghost.