houses of gentlemen in the neighbourhood. He was once apprehended at the seat of Mr. Moore, who had been a member of parliament, and who had invited him thither to preach to his family and some of his neighbours. Mr. Moore paid the fine, which was five pounds, for him. He still went on in the way of his profession, notwithstanding he was often summoned to the quarter sessions, and severely reprimanded as the keeper of a conventicle. He, however, escaped imprisonment, as his great learning, piety, and exemplary life, had gained him so high a reputation, that it would have been very unpopular to have sent him to a gaol. After the five mile act passed, he was obliged to leave Batcomb, and retire to Frome Selwood, where he continued in the constant exercise of his ministry, notwithstanding the dangers he was exposed to. He died the 22d of December 1681, being upwards of 64 years of age. He was distinguished for his plain, practical manner of preaching, and for the delight he took in the pastoral office. His writings, which were mostly tracts on religious subjects, were much esteemed and often printed. The principal of these is a work entitled "Vindicia Pietatis, or a Vindication of Godliness," which was, and is, in high reputation among persons of Calvinistic sentiments. It consists of three parts, published 1664-6. As it was printed without a licence, the king's bookseller caused the copies to be seized, but afterwards purchased them from the king's kitchen, where they were sent as waste-paper, and bound them up and sold them; being however discovered, he was obliged to make submission to the privy council, and the books were ordered to be destroyed. This occasioned the first edition to be long scarce, and created the mistakes as to date into which both Wood and Calamy have fallen, and which are not rectified by the editor of the Biographia Britannica, who does not appear to have examined the book. Although a zealous non-conformist, Mr. Allein was not tinctured either with spleen to the church, or disloyalty to his prince; on the contrary, he lived in a fair correspondence with the clergy of his neighbourhood, and the gentry paid him great respect, although of opposite senti ments1. 'Biog. Britannica.-Calamy.Ath, Ox, vol. II, 689. ALLEIN, or rather ALLEN (THOMAS), a pious English divine, was born about 1682, and educated at Wadham college, Oxford, where he probably took only his bachelor's degree, as we do not find him in the list of upper graduates. In 1714 he was presented to the rectory of Kettering, in Northamptonshire, on which he resided the whole of his life, and was exemplary in all the duties of the pastoral office, nor less indefatigable as a writer, although his success in this last character bore little proportion to the magnitude of his labours. Of his printed works we know only, 1. "The Practice of an Holy Life; or the Christian's Daily Exercise, in Meditations, Prayer, &c." London, 1716, 8vo. 2. "The Christian's sure Guide to Eternal Glory," both popular works, and afterwards translated into the Russian language. 3. "A Sermon before the Criminals in Newgate," 1744. 4. "The New Birth, or Christian Regeneration, in Miltonic or blank verse," 1753, 8vo. Besides these, he wrote "Pandects of Christianity:" "The harmony and agreement between Moses and Christ:" "The Primitive and Apostolic Fathers, with their genuine Writings:" "God the best interpreter of his law" "The Divine Worship and Service of the Church of England," with some others, for which he issued proposals, but was obliged to desist from want of encouragement. Lists of these MSS. he sent to various clergymen, requesting they would bear the expence, &c.; and accompanied them with letters in an eccentric style, and with no small portion of conceit. Mr. Allen died May 31, 1755, suddenly, as he was reading prayers in his church. Gent. Mag. vol. XXV. p. 284; vol. LXXIV, 404, 512, 629. |