was forced to beg pardon upon his knees at the council table, and send them back again to the king's kitchen-to be BISKED, that is, to be rubbed over with an inky brush. The following remarkable anecdote concerning this work was related by Mr. John Thomas, the late aged and worthy minister of the Baptist Church in the Pithay, Bristol. He knew a man in Yorkshire who saw this book at a sale, coveted it, and stole it; but upon taking it home, and reading it, it proved the blessed mean of converting him to God: hereupon he took it back to the original owner, Mr. Thomas Sawley, at Wood End, near Colne, in Yorkshire, in great contrition, but with thankfulness to God, who overruled his theft to the salvation of his soul. He was author of, 1. "Vindicia Pietatis ; in four Parts; a Vindication of Godliness in the greatest Spirituality of it, from the Impatation of Folly and Fancy: Directions for attaining and mainturning a Godly Life: the Godly Man's Portion and Sanctuary: Heaven opened; or a brief and plain Discovery of the Riches of God's Covenant. The World conquered, or a Believer's Victory over the World."—2. " Godly Fear, its Nature and Necessity, &c." 8vo. 1674.-3. A Rebuke to Backsliders, and a Spur to Loiterers," 8vo. 1677.-4. "A Companion for Prayer." 12mo. 1680."-5. "Instruction about Heart Work." 8vo. 1682. published by Dr. Annesley.-6. A Letter to a Friend, to prove that Ordination by Presbyters is valid, and not to be repeated.' ALLEIN, WILLIAM, was born in 1614, and, after finishing his scholastic education, was entered of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He was the younger son of Richard Allein, of Dichiat, and younger brother of Richard Allein, of Batcomb, in Somersetshire. While at the university he took the degree of Master of Arts; but on leaving Oxford, he became chaplain to a person of distinction in London. At the beginning of the civil war he resided at Ilchester, and was, upon some particular occasions, consalted by great officers: for his letters to them he was, by the Cavaliers, proclaimed a traitor in three market towns. He was often plundered, and as often wonderfully preserved. Some time after he went to Bristol, where he was taken into custody, and plundered; after which he removed to London with his family. In 1653 he became vicar of Blandford in Dorsetshire, and gathered together a great number of followers, but was driven from it at the Restoration in 1660; "The Voice of God in his Promises," written by his son-in-law, Joseph Allein, was extracted from the third part. G 2 when when he freely quitted the parish, and ministered to a few people in private. But since the higher powers would not permit him to remain at ease, he went again to Bristol, where he resided seven or eight years. He afterwards removed to Yeovil in Somersetshire, where he died in October, 1677, aged 63. He was a person of good learning and great piety; particularly eminent for his modesty and meekness. Mr. Allein was a true patient labourer in the Gospel, and a most happy comforter of many dejected souls and wounded spirits, by a wise application of Gospel cordials. When he set himself to an immediate preparation for death, he had some regret (as it is reported archbishop Usher had) that he had not better improved his time and talents. He was author of two books upon the Millenium, (which mark the great and good man,) and whatever becomes of his notions, says Dr. Calamy, that book is grave and judicious, sober and pious. After his death six discourses were pablished, viz. 1. “TheUnsearchable Riches of Christ. 2. The Knowledge of Christ crucified. 3. The Authority and Efficacy of the Word. 4. The Working out Salvation. 5. The Observing the Christian Sabbath. 6. Of Christ's coming to Judgement. ALLEINE, JOSEPH, the son of Tobia Alleine, was born at Devizes in Wiltshire, in 1633. Being apt to learn, he received his grammatical education in that town, and was instructed in logic by a minister of that or a neighbouring place; at the age of sixteen he was sent to Lincoln College, Oxford, having attained to a good knowledge of Latin and Greek. Nov. 8, 1651, he was admitted scholar of Corpus Christi College, in the same university; and in 1653 (in preference to a fellowship) was elected chaplain, for which office he appears to have been well qualified. Clark, in his last volume of Lives, fays, "None could have performed it better. He did not trouble them with a great noise, vain tautologies, crude effusions, unintelligible sense, or mysterious nonsense instead of prayer; his spirit was serious, his gesture reverent, his words few, but premeditated and well weighed, pithy, solid, and fully expressive of his humble and earnest desires," &c. While a student he was so frugal of time, that he commonly rose at four o'clock, though not in bed till one, and often gave away his commons that he might not be hindered in study. Thus his progress in literature was rapid. At length he was even com pelled to become a tutor, and had a great number of pupils some of them graduates in divinity. In 1655, when about twenty fwenty-one years of age, he became assistant to Mr. George Newton of Taunton, who expressed the highest opinion both of his talents and his piety, and in whose house he resided some months before his marriage, and nearly two years afterwards. Mrs. Alleine then set up a school, and had fifty or sixty scholars, twenty or thirty of whom were boarders, whom Mr. Alleine took great pains to instruct, and to whon his endeavours were eminently useful. As a minister, he was uncommonly laborious. Though he preached but once on the Lord's Day at Taunton he was constantly employed the other part of the day in assisting his brethren, or in supplying destitute congregations. He did not confine his labours to the sabbath, but catechized once a week in public, and repeated his Lord's Day sermon on the Tuesday evening. He also devoted several afternoons in the week to the visiting his flock, of whom he kept a list, both rich and poor. His custom was to give them previous information when he should be with them, that they might have their whole family together, and he addressed himself to all according to their respective characters and circumstances. Herein he was exceedingly useful. "He was full of holy projects (says Mr. Clark) by what means he might most effectually promote the honour of Christ, and the salvation of souls; and what he judged to be conducing to those ends he prosecuted with wisdom and vigour." Before the Act of Uniformity passed, he was very earnest with God to make his way plain, that he might not be deprived of his present advan tages for usefulness, without any scruple upon his conscience; and he was so doubtful, that his friends thought he would have conformed rather than quit his ministry. But when he saw those clauses of assent and consent, he was fully determined against it. He was therefore ejected from his liv ing of St. Magdalen's, in Taunton, together with the Rev. George Newton, to whom Mr. Alleine was assistant in 1665. Being persuaded, however, that the ejectment of the ministers from their places did not oblige them to desist from preaching the gospel, he resolved to go on with it till he should be imprisoned or banished. He therefore prosecuted his work with greater vigour, preaching ordinarily six or seven sermons a week; often ten, aud sometimes fourteen, in Taunton and the neighbouring places which he continued to do, peaceably and successfully, till May 26, 1663, when he was taken before the justices, by whom, after some rude affronts, he was committed to Ilchester jail. Aug, 24, he was indicted at the assizes, for a riotous and seditions assembly. assembly. He pleaded modestly for himself, but was brought in guilty by the jury, and sentenced to pay 100 marks, and to lie in prison till the payment. He declared in open court, "That he was glad it had appeared before his country, that whatsoever he was charged with, he was guilty of nothing but doing his duty; and that all which appeared by the evidence was only, that he had sung a psalm, and instructed his family, some others being present in his own house; and that if nothing which had been urged would satisfy, he should, with all chearfulnes and thankfulness, accept whatever sentence his lordship should pronounce upon him, for so good and righteous a cause." He was then remanded to prison, where he found Mr. Norman, late of Bridgewater, and five other ministers, with fifty Quakers, who all had their lodging in the same room, parted only with a mat, which they hung up for a little more retirement. Soon after, Mr. Cover, Mr. Powel, and eight more were brought into the same place, which was rendered very offensive for want of fresh air, so that they took out the glass, and some of the tiles from the roof. They were also greatly molested with the noise and blasphemy of other prisoners who were near them. Mr. Alleine, in this situation endeavoured to improve his time to the greatest advantage, both for himself and his fellow prisoners, as well as their friends who came to visit them in great numbers, and administered to their relief. He wrote many excellent letters. He and his brethren preached in turn once, and sometimes twice a day; and after a time they were allowed a larger room, where they had more hearers. They were threatened to be made close prisoners or sent abroad, but Providence prevented, and their imprisonment turned out to the furtherance of the gospel. Mr. Alleine upon his release, after a year's imprisonment excepting three days, was more zealous in his work than before, till it brought on him such complaints as disabled him; which growing upon him, hindered his going into Wales, for the spreading of the Gospel, as he intended to have done. July 10, 1665, he was again apprehended for preaching, and committed to the prison of Ilchester, with seven other ministers, and forty private persons, These imprisonments, with his hard labours encreased his disorders and threatened his life under these he languished some months; but manifested the greatest degree of patience, chearfulness, and zeal to be useful. Clark gives a particular account of his disor ders, his wonderful revivals, the admirable frame of his mind. and his pious conversation with those about him; particu larly larly while he was at Bath, where he appeared like a mere skeleton. Here he was very useful to many poor people and children, whom he sent for, to relieve and instruct them; as also to the company who came for the benefit of the waters; many of whom were deeply impressed with his pious, yet chearful and entertaining conversation. Though he experienced a temporary revival, his disorders were incurable, and terrible convulsions came on, so that his end seemed to be fast approaching. Prayer being made for him that he might yet utter his mind before his departure, the Lord was pleased to return a gracious answer; for though he had not spoken since the Tuesday night before, early on Friday morning he called for his wife and spoke very intelligibly; which he continued to do that day for sixteen hours, with little intermission, as he did likewise till Saturday evening, when he expired. After some apparent conflict with temptation, biding the enemy be gone, he spent most of the time in profitable and heavenly discourse with his wife. He spoke much of the place to which he was going, and his desire to be gone. When he looked upon his emaciated hands, he said, "These shall be changed: this vile body shall be made like Christ's glorious body.-O what a glorious day will the day of the resurrection be! Methinks I see it by faith. How will the saints lift up their heads and rejoice! O come, let us make haste! Our Lord will come shortly; let us prepare for him.→→→ O this vain foolish world! I wonder how reasonable creatures can so doat upon it. I care not to be in it longer than my Master hath doing or suffering work for me. Were that done, farewell to earth." He often spake of the love of Christ, and from thence urged obedience. He was much affected with the three last chapters of John, especially with Christ's parting words, and prayer for his disciples. At the time of his death, in 1668, he was not much above 35 years of age. The following account of his character is abstracted from Mr. Clark's life of him: He gave evidence of uncommon seriousness from eleven years of age. He was a person of fervent, unaffected piety, and exemplary in his whole deportment; of a most sweet temper, and courteous conversation. He was a man of great courage, and feared no danger in the way of his duty; but was of a very peaceable spirit. His learning was far beyond what could be expected from one that entered upon the ministry at twenty-one years of age, and died at thirty-five; especially considering his various labours and sufferings. His intellects were good and |