MY LORD,_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.

Ever since there was a Diversity of Religions in the World, the Conduct of

Persons that have chang'd one for another has been liable to the Censure

of those whose Communion they abandon, and given Rise to Variety of

Reflections among People of that new Communion which they embrace; and a

Reproach has been often cast upon Proselytes, that either Interest or

Ignorance was the Cause of their Change: What the World will think of me

for renouncing the Heresy of _Calvin_, and taking up with what I thought

the soundest Doctrine; that is to say, for entering into the Bosom of that

Church to which the Heterodoxy of my Ancestors had made me a Stranger, I

know not: But be it what it will, I am ever ready to account to all

Mankind for an Action, of which I revere the Remembrance; and which I am

only sorry, I had not done sooner.

As to _Interest_, I don't think it can possibly be said, that it had any

Share in my Conversion: For the Light that I stood in with the King of

_Prussia_, the Rank I bore at his Court, either upon the Score of my

Family, or for the Employments I had there, and the Wealth and Fortune of

which I was Possessor; all these Advantages, compar'd with the Situation I

am in at present, must convince the World, that Interest was not the

Motive which engag'd me to change my Religion.

As to _Ignorance_; I should be vain indeed if I thought myself a Man of

Learning, or if I aim'd at the Character: However, I will venture to say,

that I am not ignorant of any of the principal Articles of the Orthodox

Religion which I profess: For this I appeal to your Lordship, as you are

my Bishop, in Quality of Vicar General of _Upper_ and _Lower Saxony_, with

which his Holiness has dignify'd you: I intreat, that you will be pleas'd

to give your Attention to the Confession of Faith which I have hereunto

annex'd: Pray, my Lord, examine whether it be orthodox, since to your

Judgment I intirely refer it; and if there unluckily happens to be any

thing in it which is not conformable to the Sentiments of the Catholic

Religion, I absolutely submit myself to your Decision; the rather, because

I shall always count it an Honour to be one of your Diocesans, and ever be

desirous from the Bottom of my Soul to improve by your Lordship's

Instructions.

Upon reading that Passage of the Apostle to the _Ephesians_, Chap. iv.

Ver. 5. _Unus Dominus, una Fides, unum Baptisma_; i. e. One Lord, one

Faith, one Baptism; I enquir'd, what was the true Faith: And when I had

divested myself of all Opinions which I had imbib'd from my Education, the

very first Reflection that I made led me to examine into the Origin of the

pretended Reformed Religion, and after what manner it began. I found, that

in all Countries Interest, Ambition, Licentiousness, Revenge were the

Motives that gave Rise to the Establishment of that Religion: I

scrutiniz'd the Lives and Morals of the Leaders of those Sects; and

discover'd, that they were generally passionate Men, inclin'd to Choler,

addicted to sensual Pleasures, Men that led irregular Lives, and made no

Account of their Promises. Consequently I could not persuade myself, that

God would have made Choice of such Persons for reforming his Church,

supposing even that it stood in need of it: I carry'd my Reflections

farther; I consider'd the Disagreement between the very Pretenders to

Reformation, and perceiv'd, that their Body is a Body without a Head,

where every Prince, and every Sovereign makes himself Arbiter of the

Articles of Faith, and assumes to himself the Authority of the Pope: Every

Parson is with them a Bishop, every one explains the Holy Scripture after

his own way, and in the Sense that he himself understands it; and every

one adopts to himself a particular System of religious Principles and

Opinions; they are Sheep without a Shepherd: In short, the Pretenders to

Reformation are continually at Variance with each other; they reject and

condemn one another's Doctrines, and never agree, but when they act in

Opposition to the Pope, or the Catholics. Moreover, their Religion is not

now, what it was at the Time of its Establishment: The _Calvinists_ were

formerly unanimous in the Belief of Predestination: But now there's hardly

any of them of that Opinion, except the _Swiss_ and _Dutch_: The others

reject it, as to the Point of Salvation, and only allow of it with regard

to the Hour of Death, and the Accidents of Life, which, according to them,

are fix'd by inevitable Destiny. Heretofore also, both the _Lutherans_ and

_Calvinists_ agreed universally, that Salvation was attainable in the

Catholic Religion; but now they think otherwise; and for some Years past,

they have thought fit to declare in their Writings, that the Catholics are

damned.

I also reflected on the Number of different Sects that are sprung out of

the Two Religions, and did not find one of them but what flatter'd

themselves with a Conceit, that their's was the true Religion, tho' they

were all of opposite Sentiments to each other: I could not imagine, how

these Divisions could be the Mark of the true Church; it being impossible

to conceive, that a Church under such Direction can be the true Church.

When I afterwards came to consider the Establishment and Ordination of

their Ministers, I could not look upon them as such, being persuaded, as

St. _Paul_ says, That Bishops are of divine Institution; and that they

alone have the Power of ordaining Priests.

Tradition, which is rejected by the Protestants in all Points where it

makes against them, but espous'd by them when it seems in their Favour,

was an Article which I thought requir'd my utmost Regard. For really when

the Protestants say, they don't believe Tradition, methinks they are

inconsistent with themselves in receiving the Holy Scripture, and taking

it for the Word of God, because this is a Truth, which they cannot know

but by Tradition: And if they allow of Tradition with regard to the

Scripture, Why don't they admit of it when religious Tenets are the Points

in Question? How can they know, unless it be by Tradition, that the Books

of the _Maccabees_, _Esther_, _Esdras_ and _Ecclesiasticus_ are

Apocryphal, and not Canonical? Who told them, that the rest of the Bible

was dictated by the Holy Spirit? In short, Who gave them Authority to

reject those other Books? What Motive could have induc'd them to it,

unless it was, that those very Books prove Things to them, which they are

not willing to believe? In short, I look'd into _Calvinism_ for some Marks

of the true Church, but could find none; because the true Church must be

one, and united to Jesus Christ in the same manner as the Body is to the

Head; and because 'tis Jesus Christ who founded the Church, who own'd it

for his Spouse, for the Daughter of God the Father, and at the same time

to be the only infallible Church.

Having discovered none of these Marks in the Protestant Religion, and

finding them, on the other hand, in the Catholic Religion, I could not

help thinking the latter to be the only one in which I might hope for my

Salvation: This was what determin'd me to study the Doctrines of it, and

these that follow are what I have conceiv'd in my Mind, and what I firmly

believe in.

* * * * *

I. I receive the Holy Scriptures intire without the least Diminution, and

believe them to be of Divine Inspiration. I believe, that _Moses_ and the

Prophets, the Evangelists and the Apostles wrote them by the same

Inspiration. I give the same Explanation to the Holy Scriptures as the

Catholic Church does, which alone has the Right of interpreting them. I

believe also, that those same Scriptures are the Basis and Foundation of

Religion, and that none but those who can explain them as the Church does,

ought to read them.

* * * * *

II. Upon the Evidence of the Holy Scriptures, I believe in one God alone,

the most perfect of all Beings; a Spirit pure, free, disengag'd from all

Matter; which knows all Things, is infinitely wise, omnipotent,

unspeakably gracious and merciful, just and holy; who suffereth not Sin to

go unpunish'd, and who cannot change; who is of infinite Glory and

Majesty; who is the eternal and inexhaustible Source of Goodness and

Charity, and from whom proceedeth every thing that is good and perfect;

who diffuseth himself in all his Creatures; who is the Father of all

Things, and who of his infinite Mercy vouchsafed to give us his only Son

for our Salvation.

* * * * *

III. I believe in the most Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy

Ghost, who, tho' Three distinct Persons, are nevertheless but One God:

These three Persons are eternal, and equal in Majesty and Glory.

* * * * *

IV. I call the _Father_, God the Father, because the same Scripture gives

him that Title, _Deut._ xxxii. Ver. 6. _Is not He thy Father that hath

bought thee? Hath he not made thee, and established thee?_ And in another

Passage, _Mal._ ii. Ver. 10. _Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God

created us?_ The New Testament also gives him the same Appellation: In the

Epistle to the _Romans_, Chap. viii. Ver. 15. St. _Paul_ says, _For ye

have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear; but ye have

received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Behold,_

(says St. _John_, I _Ep._ Chap. iii. Ver. 1.) _what manner of Love the

Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God:

Therefore the World knoweth us not, because it knew him not._

* * * * *

V. I believe in _Jesus Christ_, the only Son of God, and God himself; by

whom all Things were made, who has created Heaven and Earth, whom the

Angels adore and glorify; who knows the Hearts of Men; whose Power is

everlasting, and who vouchsafed to come into the World to be our Saviour

and our Redeemer.

* * * * *

VI. I believe in _Jesus_ the Son of God, because the Belief of this Truth

is the Basis of our Salvation, and of our Redemption. Besides, we are

assur'd of this by the Holy Scriptures. St. _John_ says in his first

Epistle, Chap. iv. Ver. 15. _Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son

of God_, God _dwelleth in Him, and He in God._ Jesus Christ, speaking of

himself, says in St. _Matthew_, Chap. xvi. Ver. 17. _Blessed art thou

Simon Barjona, for Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto Thee, but my

Father which is in Heaven._

* * * * *

VII. I believe, that the _Holy Ghost_ is God as well as the Father, and as

the Son; that he is like them from all Eternity; that he is equal with

them; that he is infinitely perfect; that he is the Sovereign Good, the

Sovereign Wisdom: that he has the same Essence, the same Nature with the

Father and the Son, from whom he proceedeth from all Eternity.

* * * * *

VIII. I believe likewise in the Holy Ghost, upon the Evidence of the

sacred Scriptures, which give him this Name upon several Occasions, but

more particularly in the New Testament than in the Old. In the New

Testament we are commanded to be baptized _In the Name of the Father, and

of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost_, Matt. Chap, xxviii. Ver. 19. St.

_Peter_ said to _Ananias_ and _Saphira_, Acts Chap. v. Ver. 3. _Ananias,

Why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?_ And a little

after he said, _Thou hast not lied unto Men, but unto God_: He here gives

the Appellation of _God_, to him whom he had call'd but just before the

_Holy Ghost_. St. _Paul_, in his first Epistle to the _Corinthians_, Chap.

xii. Ver. 6. after having spoke of God, says, that 'tis of the Holy Spirit

that he had been speaking. _And there are Diversities of Operations, but

it is the same God which worketh all in all._ And then he adds in the

Eleventh Verse, _But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit,

dividing to every Man severally as he will._ Finally, the Scripture

commonly joins the Person of the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Son,

as I have already said, speaking of Baptism. And in Ordination it makes

Use of the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: It

ascribes to him, whatever we think agreeable to God alone: It gives him,

for Instance, Temples; _Know ye not_, (says St. _Paul_, 1 _Cor._ Chap. vi.

Ver. 19.) _that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in

you?_ The same Scripture also ascribes to it the Power of sanctifying and

quickening our Souls, of penetrating into what is the most secret in the

Godhead, of speaking by the Oracles of the Prophets; and finally, of being

omnipresent: Those are the Attributes of God alone, and such as are only

suitable to him. I therefore make no Scruple to believe, that the Holy

Ghost is truly God, as well as the Father and the Son; that he is the

Third Person of the most Holy Trinity; and that, as such, I ought to

worship, pray to him, and praise him.

* * * * *

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 oecumenical: 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