Joseph Alleine
Joseph Alleine was born in 1634, at Devizes in Wiltshire, England. He was educated at Oxford and at the age of twenty-one became assistant to George Newton, the minister of St Mary Magdalene's Church at Taunton in Somerset. Richard Baxter spoke of his 'great ministerial skillfulness in the public explication and application of Scriptures - so melting, convincing, so powerful'. Because he was a Nonconformist, he suffered two periods of imprisonment. These helped to bring about his premature death at the age of just thirty-four.
'An Alarm to the Unconverted' was published after his death in 1672 and leaves the reader in no doubt that Alleine was 'infinitely and insatiably greedy for the conversion of souls'. It has since gone though many editions, sometimes under the title: 'A Sure Guide to Heaven'. Many people have been brought to faith in Christ through reading this powerful book. The original is still available from the Banner of Truth.