John Collinges

He lived and worked in Norwich for more than forty years where he played a major role in reviving and administering the City Library.

He was the son of Edward Collinges, M. A., born at Boxted, Essex, and educated to 16 at the grammar school of Dedham, where he came under the influence of Matthew Newcomen.

Sir John was an MP but ill health obliged him to return home to Norwich and Collinges accepted their invitation to join them.

[4] After Sir John Hobart's death in 1647, part of her house in Norwich was converted into a chapel by his widow, and here for sixteen years, till the passing of the act restraining religious meetings, Collinges lectured on weekdays, and repeated his public discourses on Sunday nights.

Throughout his adult life John Collinges was a voluminous and at times verbose writer of theological works of different types, published in London and Norwich.

His earliest published works were extended versions of his lectures and sermons, such as The spouses hidden glory, and faithfull leaning upon her welbeloved,[9] (1646 and 1647) and A memorial for posteritie, preached at the funeral of these patron Sir John Hobart.(1647).

In 1651 he published 'Vindiciae Ministerii Evangelici,' which is a vindication of a Gospel ministry against the claim of 'intercommonage' on the part of 'gifted men' not regularly set apart to preach.

This was attacked by William Sheppard in The People's Privileges and Duty guarded against the Pulpit and Preachers, to which Collinges at once replied in Responsoria ad Erratica Pastoris or The Shepherds wandrings discovered.

Collinges published Vindiciae Ministerii Evangelici revindicatae: or The preacher (pretendedly) sent, sent back again, to bring a better account who sent him, and learn his errand .

In time this resulted in the publication of ‘’A vindication of the Preacher Sent, or a warrant for publick preaching without ordination,’’ by Francis Petto and John Woodall.

[11] Collinges also wrote the annotations in Matthew Poole's Bible on the last six chapters of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentation, the four Evangelists, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Philemon, and Revelation.