Joseph, the son of Tobias Allein, was born at Devizes, in Wiltshire, in 1633, and educated at Oxford. In 1655 he became assistant to Mr Newton, in Taunton-Magdalen, in Somersetshire; but was ejected for nonconformity. He died in 1668, aged 35. He was a man of great learning and greater charity; preserving, though a nonconformist, and a severe sufferer on that account, great respect for the church, and loyalty to his sovereign. He wrote several books of piety, which are highly esteemed,—especially his Alarm to Unconverted Sinners. There have been many editions of this pious little work, the sale of which has been very great.

Richard, an English nonconformist divine, was born at Ditchet, in Somersetshire, in 1611. His father was rector of Ditchet, and conducted the education of his son until he was prepared for the Oxford university. There he soon obtained the degree of master of arts; and after he entered into holy orders, first as an assistant to his father, and afterwards as rector of Batcomb, in Somersetshire, he discharged the duties of a clergyman with great industry, and singular fidelity. He was a zealous puritan, and was appointed assistant to the parliamentary commissioners whose business it was to eject "scandalous ministers;" in which office his father also bore a part. At the Restoration he in his turn was ejected from the rectory of Batcomb, which he had creditably held for twenty years, because he could not conscientiously accede to the terms of the act of conformity. But in the house of Mr More, who had been a member of the long parliament, he continued to exercise his ministerial functions in defiance of the penalties imposed by that act. Although frequently reprimanded for his conduct in this matter, his piety and exemplary conduct procured him a mitigation of the punishment. No dangers could deter him from duty; for although constrained to remove from Batcomb, in consequence of the "five-mile act," he continued in the discharge of his ministerial office at Frome-Sewood. Here he remained until his labours were terminated by death, in 1691.

His most celebrated work is called Vindiciae Pietatis, which is still esteemed by theologians of the nonconformist school; another is Heaven Opened, and a third The World Conquered; all giving proof of his fervent piety.