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According to the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica:8
Richard Alleine (1611–1681), English Puritan divine, was born at Ditcheat, Somerset, where his father was rector. On being ordained he became assistant to his father, and immediately stirred the entire county by his burning eloquence. In March 1641 he became rector of Batcomb (Somerset). He declared himself on the side of the Puritans by subscribing to the The Testimony of the Ministers in Somerset Shire to the Truth of Jesus Christ and The Solemn League and Covenant, and assisted the commissioners of the parliament in their work of ejecting unsatisfactory ministers. Alleine continued for twenty years rector of Batcomb and was one of the two thousand ministers ejected in 1662. The Five Mile Act drove him to Frome Selwood, and in that neighborhood he preached until his death on the 22nd of December 1681. His works are all of a deeply spiritual character. [This book,] Vindiciae Pietatis (which first appeared in 1660), was refused license by Archbishop Sheldon, and was published, in common with other nonconformist books, without it. It was rapidly bought up and “did much to mend this bad world.” Roger Norton, the king's printer, caused a large part of the first impression to be seized on the ground of its not being licensed and to be sent to the royal kitchen. Glancing over its pages, however, it seemed to him a sin that a book so holy—and so salable—should be destroyed. He therefore bought back the sheets, bound them and sold them in his own shop. This in turn was complained of, and he had to beg pardon on his knees before the council-table; and the remaining copies were sentenced to be bisked, or rubbed over with an inky brush, and sent back to the kitchen for lighting fires. Such bisked copies occasionally occur still. The book was not killed. It was often reissued with additions, The Godly Man's Portion in 1663, Heaven Opened in 1666, The World Conquered in 1668. He also published a book of sermons, Godly Fear, in 1664, and other less noticeable devotional compilations.
As king's printer Roger Norton observed, Vindiciae Pietatis is a holy book indeed. It is filled with God-honoring and God-glorifying theology, encouragement, wisdom, and practical advice for holy living and the battle against personal sin. All people, whether non-Christians, new Christians, or seasoned believers, stand to benefit from this seventeenth-century treasure.
Vindiciae Pietatis, is composed of sermons that Richard Alleine preached to a mixed audience: those entirely outside the Christian faith; those who called themselves Christians, but who were not inwardly Christians, not having been born again from above by the Holy Spirit; and truly born-again believers in Jesus Christ. Alleine, in a manner similar to the Old Testament prophets, rapidly switches from addressing one of these groups to addressing a different group. The reader will do well to note such shifts.
It cannot be doubted that Alleine’s time and place in history greatly directed his emphasis. Most people went to church. Most people even prayed, read the Bible, or participated in religious activities, at least sometimes. Many, even most, fooled themselves into thinking they were Heaven-bound. But Alleine knew better and these sermons were a result. Sadly, present-day America, with its Christianized culture and many churches, is in exactly the same condition; only the details are different. Alleine’s major thesis is simple: If you are not endeavoring, from a heart made anew by the Holy Spirit, to obey God precisely, whatever kind of “faith” you may have, it is not saving faith. If you do not have saving faith, you are headed for Hell with its hideous torment of both body and soul for eternity. If you obey God only when you please, you do not have Christ as your King. If Christ is not your King, He is not your Savior. Saving grace inherently and necessarily produces both salvation—with all of God’s majestic gifts—and sincere endeavor to full obedience to God.
Alleine is not alone in this thesis. From the highly regarded Old Testament commentary by Keil and Delitzsch on the penitential Psalm 32:1–2: “He who is thus justified, however, is only he in whose spirit there is no רְמִיָּה, no deceit, which [deceit] denies and hides, or extenuates and excuses, this or that favorite sin.9 One such sin designedly10 retained is a secret ban, which stands in the way of justification [and redemption from Hell].”11 Matthew Henry, in his Complete Commentaries, on Matthew 28:20, regarding “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,” agrees. Henry includes in the commanded teaching that disciples are to be taught: “To observe all things, that he has commanded, without exception; all the moral duties, and all the instituted ordinances. Our obedience to the laws of Christ is not sincere, if it be not universal;12 we must stand complete in his whole will.”13
Does this seem harsh? God compares His relationship with His Church to a marriage, and by extension, demands “monogamous” faithfulness from those in His Church. Consider the impact on a marriage if a husband were, in full view of his wife, to bring a prostitute into their bedroom just once a year. God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5; James 4:5).
Speaking of Alleine’s time and place, textual and critical resources were sparse compared to what is available today. Thus, a pastor’s exegesis could sometimes be relatively primitive by modern standards. This may be seen occasionally in this book in places where Alleine’s treatment of a passage of Scripture seems odd, either by modern standards or with respect to modern Bible versions. The editor has thus included explanatory footnotes where applicable. But, let not the reader be tempted to lose confidence in Alleine’s work because of this; Alleine uses many Bible texts to support his conclusions. And, to compare Scripture with Scripture is the first rule of sound exegesis; indeed, because of this, Alleine is almost always right even when his use of a particular verse may be questionable.14 Also, because Alleine’s readers were generally familiar with the Bible, he frequently uses events recorded in Scripture as sermon illustrations. The reader should not overlook the fact that such uses may be illustrations only, without any intent to apply the illustrative passage directly to the matter at hand. This is no different from a preacher’s use of basketball as a sermon illustration; the sermon teaches nothing about playing basketball.
The present translation, from a reproduction of a copy printed in 1676,15 is provided so that this valuable work may be accessible to the contemporary reader, all to the glory, praise, and honor of God. The editor has endeavored to faithfully retain the meaning of the original text, translating word for word when possible. At the same time, the goal of readability is paramount with the intent that one may read with ease, focusing on the material without being distracted by antique spelling, vocabulary, grammar, or difficult sentence constructs. For this reason, there are times when the original text is considerably modified and rearranged. Details on the translation process and philosophy may be found in Appendix B. Regrettably, no human work can be translated without some loss of finer shades of meaning. It is the editor’s opinion, however, that this loss is small compared to the loss imposed on many readers by changes in word and phrase meanings over time.
One thing this editor has not sought to either erase or translate is the historical context of Vindiciae. While many references, such as those to oxen and fields, are quite understandable to the modern reader, a few historical remarks may be in order. Alleine frequently makes mention of dignities and preferments. At the time, England was still very much a feudal society. The best way to “get ahead” was to be granted a title of nobility, ecclesiastical or civil office, a patent16 to engage in some enterprise, or some other honor or grant. Due to authoritarian kings and nobles, there was relatively little economic freedom compared with modern America. Even today, English society is quite concerned with rank, titles, and precedence.
Alleine (and many Bible translations) use way to mean a road or path, a method, course of life, manner of life, and so on. These usages are familiar to most modern readers, but this editor has noticed a tendency in some Bible translations to use path or road instead of way, thus prompting this paragraph. Scripture frequently compares a person’s course and manner of life to a path or road, and uses way metaphorically in this sense. The sense of way as meaning a road has not entirely vanished from contemporary usage as shown by highway and the many names of streets that end in way. Since way has such richness of meaning, the editor has retained the word.
To their shame, both Roman Catholics and Protestants of all denominations used civil law to enforce religious conformity to their denominational standards. People were frequently required by civil law to attend church each Sunday. Of course, this produced large numbers of pretenders, “pew warmers,” and hypocrites. It also set a social standard of church attendance even when not required by law. It is to this kind of audience that Richard Alleine preached, and to which this book was directed.
Unfortunately, contemporary America, though for different reasons, has a similar church demographic. This is because human nature has not changed since Adam sinned against God. The true beliefs of people are normally shown by their actions and lives. While people of Alleine’s time and place only rarely professed17 atheism or a false religion, all too many were atheists in their hearts. In contemporary America, open rejection of the Christianity of the Holy Bible is far more common. But both now and then, as a whole, the lives of very many “Christians” leave very much to be desired. This shows that real inward attitudes toward God have not changed much at all. Alleine directs much attention to those who are Christians in name only or who have only a small commitment to Christianity. But dear reader, if you are of no religion or some other religion, please understand that Alleine is speaking to you as well. There is no difference between a false religion, no religion, and lukewarm Christianity; all are paths straight to the eternal torments of Hell.
Please do not lose sight of the forest because of the trees. The Great News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is quite simple:
God created you, owns you, and gave you commands to obey.
You have disobeyed God — as your conscience very well attests to you.
God's holiness and justice compel Him to punish you in Hell.
Jesus Christ became Man, was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead as a substitute for all who trust in Him, redeeming them from Hell.
If you repent (turn from your sin) and believe (trust) in Jesus Christ, you will go to Heaven. Otherwise you will go to Hell.
Warning! Good works are a result, not cause, of saving trust.
There is more information in Appendix A.
There is another way in which America’s church demographic is similar to that of Alleine’s time. Alleine wrote in a time when sincere believers in Christ were often persecuted, both informally and by civil law. Alleine himself suffered for his faith. Unsurprisingly therefore, suffering for righteousness’ sake is a theme that pervades Vindiciae. As of this writing, such persecution may still seem remote to many American Christians. But, as has been done so often in the past, the devil has been using specific cultural and legal pressures as wedges driven into biblical truth and practice. Many logs that formerly seemed solid and strong have thus been split and even splintered. All too many Christians have already compromised, disobeyed God and become: “Like a trampled spring and a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked” (Proverbs 25:26 NASB). Those Christians who desire to remain precise in their obedience to their Lord Jesus Christ will thus do well to prepare themselves for persecution. Such preparation, for which Alleine gives directions, is of spiritual benefit for every level of persecution, mild or severe, present or future.
Finally, some modern readers may not be used to being directly and pointedly addressed, especially in language that challenges them as though guilty of faults of which they are perhaps innocent. Also, in common with much of the Holy Bible, Alleine frequently describes Christians in ideal terms, something that should make us conscious of our sin and lead us to repentance, to Christ and to the throne of grace. But fear not, dear reader. Alleine has your best interests at heart and would have you seriously and honestly evaluate your life and relationship to Jesus Christ; neither Alleine nor this editor nor even God Himself desires that anyone should perish in Hell, but with the love of Christ, do desire that all would be saved, and once saved, grow greatly in grace.
8https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Alleine,_Richard (accessed June 1, 2018). The editor has somewhat abridged this quotation and updated the language.
9As translated from the German, logic of this statement is easy to miss without careful reading. It might have been better translated: “Nobody in whose spirit there is any רְמִיָּה, deceit, which [deceit] denies and hides, or extenuates and excuses, this or that favorite sin is justified.”
10designedly: by design; purposely; intentionally; opposed to accidentally, ignorantly, or inadvertently.
11Keil, C. F. and Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, Volume 5, Psalms (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1991), p. 395 (on Psalm 32:1-2).
12universal: in this context, without exception
13Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol. 5 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991) ISBN: 0 943575 51 6, p. 363.
14Unbelieving scholars and philosophers have tied themselves in knots concerning God and His revelation to humans via the Holy Bible. They have vomited out much filth and error concerning the infallible and inerrant Word of the same God, who, by His Word, created the cosmos out of nothing, and who gave us His Word in the very person of our Lord Jesus Christ. But when the Holy Bible is viewed from the perspective of information theory, it is clear that God designed His Bible to withstand the detrimental effects of transmission across millennia, translation across disparate languages, and, yes, human error, biases, and sin. Let it never be forgotten that the same all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful Creator of mankind is the same Creator who gave us the Holy Bible. He designed both mankind and His Holy Scriptures to fit together. More than that, He has given His Holy Spirit to open the minds of believers to understand the Scriptures. Because of this, the ordinary layman or pastor who studies the Scriptures carefully compares Scripture with Scripture where meanings are uncertain, and most importantly, has a genuine desire to know God’s truth and glorify and obey Him—he or she will know the truth. “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 7:17 NKJV). “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32 NKJV).
15Richard Alleine, Vindiciae Pietatis, or, A vindication of Godlinesse in the Greatest Strictness and Spirituality of it From the imputations of Folly and Fancy: Together with Several Directions for the Attaining and Maintaining of a Godly Life / b Rich[ar]d Allein. (London: printed for Peter Parker and to be sold at his shop, 1676) Reproduction of the original in the Harvard University Library. Published by EEBO Editions, ProQuest, December 13, 2010, ISBN-13: 978-1117786698. This source text is the sole source for the present translation. This reproduction has many defects; the editor has used his best judgment in recovering the original meaning, and in presenting footnotes or other text critical notes.
16patent: any special privilege specifically granted to an individual or company by king or parliament.
17profess: in this context, to openly acknowledge belief in something. (It is in this sense that Alleine frequently uses professor to refer to one who claims to be a Christian.)
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