John Allen

John Allen.—-This very pious divine was born in the year 1596, and educated, probably, in the university of Cambridge. He was a hard student, a good scholar, an excellent preacher, a grave and pious divine, and a man of a most humble, heavenly, and courteous behaviour, lull of Bwet t christian love to all; earnestly, and with much meekness of spirit, contending for the faith and peace of Christ. AH these excellencies, however, were insufficient to screen him from the persecutions of the times. Though it does not with certamty appear at what place he was settled, after his removal from the university, he bore his share of sufferings with the holy and zealous puritans of those times. A divine of his name, and probably the same person, was minister at Ipswich, who, during the oppressions of Bishop "Wren, voluntarily departed from his cure, and went to "London.* Having no prospect of better days, or of enjoying rest from persecution, he went, with many others, to New England, where he arrived about the year 1637. Soon after his arrival he was chosen pastor of the church of Dedham, where he continued, much beloved and very useful, all the rest of his days. He d ed greatly lamented, August 26, 1671, aged seventy-five years. His flock published his last two sermons; the one from Cant. viii. 5., Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved: and the other from John xiv. 22., Peace I leave with you. In their preface to these sermons, written with tears ofgrief, they denominate him " a constant, faithful, diligent steward in the house of God, a man of peace and truth, and a burning and shining light." He published "A Defence of the Nine Positions; and " A Discourse in Defence of the Synod held at Boston in the year 1662." He, wilh the assistance of Mr. Thomas Shepard, wrote upon "Church-reiormation."+