cause do we long for, and praye that it may at length come to passe, that CHRISTE may reign with his sainctes, according to God's promises; (Rev. xx. 4. &c.) that He may lyve and bee LORDE in the worlde, accordynge to the decrees of the holy Gospell; (Phil. ii. 11. Rom. xiv. 8-9. Rev. xix. 16, &c.) not after the traditions and lawes of men, nor pleasure of worldlye tyraunts, (Isa. xi. 3-4. Psalm xcvi. 10. Psalm xcvii. 1-2.

"Master. Gon graunte hys kyngdome may come,' and that spedilye." Rom. viii. 19. Tit. iii. 13. 1 Pet. i. 7. 13. Rev. xxii. 20.

That this also, at a remoter period, was the unequivocal doctrine of the primitive Church, we learn from the testimonies of the early Fathers, Irenæus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Lactantius, &c. which may be seen in Lardner, and in the profoundly learned Mede, the great Restorer of the Doctrine; from whom I shall cite the valuable testimony of Tertullian, that most learned Father of the Latin Church, of which he has given the original:

For we also profess, that we are promised again, a kingdom upon earth, but in another state, antecedent to the kingdom in heaven; which is to take place after the [first] resurrection, for a thousand years, in a city of divine workmanship, Jerusalem brought down from heaven;' (Rev. xx. 4. Rev. xxi. 2.) which the apostle describes as " our mother above,' (Gal. iv. 26.) and our municipality' declaring that it is in heaven,” (TOλITEVμa, Phil. iii. 20.) namely, comparing it to some heavenly city: This, both Ezekiel knew, (chap. xl. 44.) and John the Apostle saw:"-This, we mean, which God hath provided for receiving, on their resurrection, the saints, and refreshing them with abundance of all (spiritual) goods; for compensation of those, which in this world, we have either despised or lost, (Mark x. 30.) Inasmuch as it is both just and worthy of God, that there also should his servants exult, where they were afflicted in his name, (Heb. xi. 13-16.) This is the nature of the kingdom of heaven. (Mat. vi. 10.)

"After the duration of this kingdom, for a thousand years, (Rev. xx. 4.) within which period is included the resurrection of the saints, reviving earlier or later, according to their deserts, (1 Cor. xv. 23. 1 Thess. iv. 16. Dan. xii. 13, &c.) then shall the destruction of the world and the conflagration of Judgment take place, when we shall

be

be changed in a moment,' into an angelic substance, namely by that putting on of incorruption,' (1 Cor. xv. 53.) and translated into the kingdom of heaven,' (John. v. 24. Heb. xii. 22. John xiv. 3, 17, 24, &c.

Such is the genuine doctrine of our Lord's, next glorified "presence," or personal appearance, and of the "first resurrection," or "resurrection of the just," at "the regeneration," or "restitution of all things;" and of the continuance of "the kingdom of the saints" upon earth, for "a thousand years," or perhaps (according to the analogy of chronological prophecy, in which days are put for years; and consequently years for generations,) a thousand generations*; which, (computing three mean generations to a century) may last for upwards of 35,000 years; reckoning from our Lords next advent, before the final consummation of all things. The Scriptural doctrine indeed of the Millenium, so consonant to that probationary state of trial and preparation for eternity, befitting rational free agents to qualify them, at length, for the inestimable privilege of becoming, after a due course of discipline, the immediate subjects of "the LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT," that Goo may be "all in all," (1 Cor. xv. 28. Rev. xix. 6.) has unhappily sunk into disrepute, by falling into the hands of Visionaries and Enthusiasts; to reclaim which, to its native lustre and dignity, as delivered by our LORD, his Apostles, the primitive fathers of the Church, and the founders of the Church of England, that fairest offspring of the Reformation, is the humble, the honest, the anxious, and I will add, the disinterested object of the author of these very abstruse and unfashionable speculations, treading in the steps of Joseph Mede. That they may obtain more attention from those who "seem to be the pillars of the Church of England," than they can hitherto boast of, or at least may excite the curiosity of the rising generation, who may live to see the hypothesis verified, (if well founded,) which it is the object of these communications to establish as the most unexceptionable, is the fervent prayer of

May 23, 1804.

(To be continued.)

INSPECTOR.

*The term of "a thousand generations," occurs in Scripture, Deut. vii. 9. Exod.xx. 6. Psalm cv. 8. in the reward promised to the observances of the second comniandment.

ON

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S

MAGAZINE.

GENTLEMEN,

Na Church near the metropolis, where there is great

the Font from the place where it now stands, to an angle in the porch, where he has it in contemplation to fit up a handsome Baptistery. He did me the honour to ask my opinion, how far it were consistent with propriety, to place the font in the porch? I referred him to Stavely and other authors; but, in order to save him trouble, I looked into a book or two myself. I thought Stavely might be found in Sion-College library, where my good friend intended consulting him. I send you the following extract of my letter on the subject;-and am,

Aug. 9, 1804.

Gentlemen,

Your most obedient servant,

A LONDON CURATE

DEAR SIR,

YOU will examine Sion-College library for Staveley's work on Churches, in vain;-that book is not there; nor is his other, "The Romish Horse-leech." Drawing information from the same sources, most of our ritualists concur in the main particulars, respecting the history, position, and use of FONTS.

Baptism, in the first age, was frequently administered at fountains and in rivers, or brooks. "See, here is water," said the chamberlain of queen Candace to Philip. Paulinus, sent to England by Gregory the great, A. D. 601, though he baptized Edwin, king of Northumberland" in ecclesiâ sancti Petri apostoli, Eburaci;" yet, he baptized multitudes in the river" Gleni," and in the river Sualua;" now called the Bowent and the Swale;-" nondum enim (adds the venerable historian) oratoria vel baptisteria in ipso exordia nascentis ibi (in provincia Deirorum, scilicet,) Ecclesiæ, poterant ædificari." (Bedæ hist. 1. ii. c. 14.) hence the word FONT is derived-a FONTIBUS.

Bap

Baptisteries were, in subsequent ages, erected near to Churches; afterwards, they were set up in the porches of Churches; and lastly, within Churches; but always near the door, at the west-end of the sacred edifices. As the porch leads into the visible Church; so baptism introduces the Christian into the mystical Church.

The font by the 81st canon, must be " of stone;" "the same to be set in the ancient usual place." Now if there be no baptistery without the Church, the "ancient usual place" is unquestionably the porch. Queen Elizabeth, in 1564, enjoins," that the font be not removed; nor that the curate do baptize, in the parish Churches, in basons." (Bp. Sparrow's collections; sub anno predicto.) The canon says that the minister shall baptize publicly in this only font.

However, as the first rubric prefixed to the baptismal office orders, that baptism shall be administered when. the greatest number of people come together; that every man present may be put in mind of his baptismal vow ;and as the 3d rubric says, the rite shall be performed after the 2nd lesson, it certainly must be concluded, that our Church, at present, supposes the font to stand within the house of God.-Custom, in and about the metropolis, has established the time for baptizing to be after service, on the score of convenience; a number of people, on sundays especially, are now present at the cerenony; and the bulk of the congregation is now better instructed, since all the offices are performed in the Engglish tongue; and therefore, if room be wanting in your Church, as indeed it is; and if an opportunity offers of making a handsome baptistery in the porch; I do not see why your font should not re-occupy its ancient place.

As to the water; it is a shame to see the foul, stale, water in many of our fonts. The font, as the concluding clause of the third rubric commands, is then to be filled with pure water, when the priest comes to it. I like much your intended reform in this point; and indeed the construction of your ancient font, with a pipe passing down the centre of the pillar on which it stands, intimates to you the primitive custom, and facilitates its revival. That Cannula answers the purpose of the Θαλασσίδιον οι Χωνειον which Wheatly) in the 1st appendix to his 7th chap. sect. III, 2.) mentions.

Wheatly is very full on the whole subject. I honour

the

the memory of Charles Wheatly. If what I here send you, shall save you trouble, my humble end will be an swered. ********

I am, dear sir,

Your's truly,

July 18, 1804.

P. S. Stavely, in an inventory of ancient Church furniture, mentions, Fons cum securâ, a font with a cover and lock?" by way of security against desecra

tion.

I subjoin part of the answer of my worthy friend.

MY GOOD SIR,

Thursday Evening, 19th July.

In

MANY thanks for your distinct and explicit ideas on a subject well worthy the attention of a Church antiquary. I shall be the better for them, in practice. German Latin Mosheim says, "Baptimus extra publicos conventus, idoneis in locis, hoc aevo (saeculo primo) administrabatur." He refers to Gerhard John Vossius, quem lege de baptismo, Disp. Thes. 6. p. 31. On my next visit to Sion-college, I will follow up his references. I hail the good sense of our forefathers in the pious days of Edwards and rejoice, that my own wishes are in unison with the ancient and authorized practices of those times.

It has been objected to me, that," the funerals are brought in at the west " door" and still they may : there will be space enough, if the font be disposed judiciously. The form of this very old font is more like a druidical temple than any thing else: the materials a congeries satis inconcinna: the inside lined with pewter; the outer sides of the upper part cased with wood; and discoloured bricks appear at the base. I, too, wish for a bason of stone. Shall we sufficiently obey the injunction of the 81st canon, if we apply to the artists, who imitate stone, for the reparation of the outside? I too wish for a secura. The cover should fit close, and keep out the particles of dust; and the whole baptisterium should be fenced with a railing, to defend it from injury on ordinary occasions. This will be necessary, and therefore I infer it Vol, VPI, Churchm, Mag. Aug. 1804. Q

will