NEW BROAD-STREET, PETTY-FRANCE. -Presbyterian, Extinet.

knowledging his own imperfections; and looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life."* (N)

JOHN ALLEN, M. D.-Mr. James Read being chosen pastor in the room of Dr. Evans, the church resolved to choose a co-pastor. Mr. George Smyth, of Hackney, was first fixed upon for this service; but he declining, the Rev. John Allen, of Nailsworth, in Glocestershire, was elected, and removed to New Broad-street, in the autumn of 1730. We lament that it is not in our power to lay before the reader a more circumstantial account of this respectable minister: there are but few of his acquaintance now living, and we have never met with any account of him in print. His birth and education, therefore, we must leave in the same obscurity that we find them.

The first mention that we find made of Dr. Allen, is as pastor of the Independent congregation at Shrewsbury, where he was the immediate predecessor of Mr. John Dobson. From Shrewsbury he removed to Nailsworth, where he continued only a short time; and from thence to London. Here he resided for many years with great reputation, and was held in great esteem by persons of different denominations. He had for many years a large substantial congregation, and raised a handsome contribution, which he carried to the Presbyterian fund. As Dr. Allen was engaged with his own church only on one part of the Lord's-day, he accepted an invitation, in the year 1749, to become afternoonpreacher to the Presbyterian congregation in Hanoverstreet, Long Acre, under the ministry of the venerable Dr. Earle. This connexion he retained about ten years, but

• Dr. Benson's Sermon, ubi supra.

(N) Mr. James Read published but one single Sermon, from John iv. 24. which was preached Dec. 14, 1729, upon the opening of the new meetingplace, in New Broad-street, Petty-France. It was printed along with two Sermons of Dr. Evans's, upon the same occasion.

NEW BROAD-STREET, PETTY-FRANCE.—Presbyterian, Extinct

resigned in 1759, and was succeeded by the late Dr. Savage. About the same time, he relinquished his connexion with the congregation in New Broad-street, of which, upon the death of Mr. Read, he had been appointed sole pastor. He then retired to Worcester, upon an invitation to accept the pastoral charge of the Presbyterian congregation in that town, in the room of Mr. Benjamin Carpenter, deceased. The motives that induced him to leave London, and accept another charge, in the country, when he was so far ad vanced in life, we are not able to discover. Probably the interest at the former place had declined, and his situation in other respects might be rendered uncomfortable.

Dr. Allen continued with the congregation at Worcester, about five years; but resigned his charge in 1764, and retired to London. Here he lived some years in retirement, till he was removed by death, on the 31st of December, 1774, in the 73d year of his age. Dr. Allen was a Divine of considerable abilities. He possessed good pulpit talents, and was a faithful, judicious, and acceptable preacher. His religious sentiments were in no extreme, and are said to have approached towards moderate Calvinism. He possessed considerable skill in physic, in which science he took his degree. He published a few single sermons, which will be specified below. (0)

• Private Information.

(0) WORKS.-1. A Funeral Sermon for the Rev. Jeremiah Tidcomb, preached at Queen-street, Ratcliff, May 25, 1740. 2 Cor. v. 1.—2. A Sermon on the Death of John Nicholas, Esq. who died Jan. 17, 1743-4, in the 75th year of his age: preached at New Broad-street. Acts xiii. 36.—3. Rejoice with Trembling: a Thanksgiving Sermon at New Broad-street, Oct. 9, 1746. Psalm ii. 11.-4. The fatherly Pity, and everlasting Mercy of the Lord to them that Fear him: a Sermon at New Broad-street, on the Death of Eleanor, Wife of Mr. John Bigg, who died October 21, 1746, æt. 56. Psalm ciii. 13-18.-5. The Nature and Danger of despising repeated Reproofs: preached at Hanover-street, Long Acre, March 11, 1750, on Occasion of the late Earthquakes. Prov. xxix. 1.-6. A Sermon on the Death of Dr. Obadiah Hughes, who deceased December 10, 1761 : preached at Long Ditch, Westminster. 2 Cor. i. 6.

NEW BROAD-STREET, PETTY-FRANCE. Presbyterian, Extinct.

His remains were interred in Bunhill-Fields, where upon a flat tomb-stone is the following inscription:

The Rev. DOCTOR ALLEN,

Who departed this life, December 31st, 1774,
In the 73d year of his age.

Well done thou good and faithful Servant.

JOHN PALMER.-Upon the death of Mr. Read, Dr. Allen was some time assisted, and, at length, succeeded by the late Rev. John Palmer. This gentleman was born in London, in the year 1729. His father carried on the business of an undertaker, in Southwark. Both his parents were serious persons, of the Calvinistical persuasion, and inembers of the Independent church in Collier's Rents, Southwark, under the pastoral care of the Rev. John Rogers. They devoted their son to the ministry, and after giving him a school education, placed him under the care of the learned Dr. David Jennings, under whom he pursued his theological studies. Upon the death of Mr. James Read, in 1755, Mr. Palmer was chosen assistant to Dr. Allen, at New Broad-street; and upon his removal to Worcester, in 1759, succeeded to the pastoral charge.

Mr. Palmer's first publication, we believe, was "A Sermon occasioned by the Death of King George II. preached at New Broad-street, Nov. 2, 1760, on 1 Chron. xxiv. 27, 28." In 1766, he revised, corrected, and prepared for the press, a posthumous work of the Rev. John Alexander, of Birmingham, with whom he had been upon terms of peculiar intimacy. It was entitled, "A Paraphrase upon the fifteenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians; with Critical Notes and Observations, and a preliminary Dissertation. A Commentary, with Critical Remarks upon the sixth, seventh, and part of the eighth Chapters to the Romans: To which is added, a Sermon on Eccles. ix. 10. composed by the Author, the day preceding his Death. London. 1766. Quarto." In 1769, Mr. Palmer published

NEW BROAD-STREET, PETTY-FRANCE.—Presbyterian, Extinet.

an Oration at the interment of the Rev. Timothy Laugher, of Hackney; which was annexed to Dr. Kippis's funeral discourse upon the same occasion. His next publication, we believe, was a small octavo volume, entitled, "Prayers for the Use of Families, and Persons in Private." This little work passed to a second edition, in 1785, and has been much esteemed by those who are called rational Dissenters. In 1779, he published, "Free Thoughts on the Inconsistency of conforming to any Religious Test, as a Condition of Toleration, with the true Principles of Protestant Dissent." It was in this year that he was called to lament the loss of an intimate friend in the Rev. Caleb Fleming, D. D. whose death he attempted to improve, in a sermon at New Broad-street, August the 1st, in that year. This discourse was afterwards printed, together with an oration at the Doctor's interment, in Bunhill-Fields, by Dr. Towers. The text of Mr. Palmer's sermon is, 2 Cor. i. 12. In the same year, he published, in octavo, " Observations in Defence of the Liberty of Man, as a moral Agent; in Answer to Dr. Priestley's Illustrations of Philosophical Necessity." This is a judicious, and able piece upon the subject; and in the following year, he published a defence of it in "An Appendix to the Observations;" occasioned by Dr. Priestley's letters to the author, in defence of the doctrine of Necessity. Mr. Palmer's last publication, which was printed in 1788, was, "A summary View of the Grounds of Christian Baptism; with a more particular Reference to the Baptism of Infants: containing Remarks argumentative, and critical, in Explanation and Defence of the Rite."

Some years before the publication of the last piece, Mr. Palmer had desisted from any ministerial work. The lease of his meeting-house expiring about 1780, the congregation, which was in a very reduced state, did not judge proper to renew it; and the society dissolved. After this, Mr. Palmer wholly left off preaching, and retired to Isling