Hinckley, John

, son of Robert Hinckley of Coton in Warwickshire, was born in that county in 1617. His parents being puritanically inclined, he was bred in that persuasion under Mr. Vynes, a celebrated schoolmaster of Hinckley. In Midsummer or April term, 1634, he was admitted a student in St. Alban’s-hall, Oxford, under the tuition of Mr. Robert Sayer; but before he became B. A. was induced by the preaching of Dr. Wentworth, to quit the opinions he had imbibed in infancy. About the time he had completed the degree of M. A. he entered into orders, was patronized by the family of Pnrefoy of Wad ley wear Faringdon, Berks; and promoted to be vicar of Coleshill in that county, afterwards of Drayton in Leicestershire, on the presentation of George Purefoy,esq. in 162, rector of Northfield in Worcestershire; and in 1679, accumulated the degrees of B. and D. D. He died April 13, 1695, and was buried in the chancel of Northfield church, where several epitaphs record part of the history of his family.

The publications of Dr. Hinckley re, 1. “Four Sermons viz. 1. at the assizes at Reading 2. at Abmgdon 3 and 4.at Oxford, 1657,” 8vo. 2. “Matrimonial instruction to persons of honour,” printed with the “mons” 3 " Epistola veridica ad homines pMVpM Mfc, 1659,“4to, (reprinted in his” Fasciculus Literaruin“). | 4” Oratio pro statu ecclesiae fluetuantis,“printed with art. 3. 5.” Sermon at the funeral of George Purefoy the elder, of Wadiey in Berks, esq. who was buried by his ancestors at Drayton in Leicestershire, 21 April, 1661;“1661, 4to. 6.” A persuasive to Conformity, by way of letter to the dissenting brethren, 1670,“8vo. 8.” Fasciculus literarum; or Letters on several occasions, 1680,“8vo. The first half of tnis book contains letters between Mr. Baxter and Dr. Hinckley, in which many things are discussed which are repeated in Baxter’s plea for the nonconformists. There are four in number, written by each, and our author’s third letter was written soon after Baxter’s book” Of Church Divisions“came forth; he having not only obliquely reflected on Dr. Hinckley’s second letter, but particularly signified his discontent both with Hinckley and his book. The reason of the publication of tuese letters five years after their first penning, was occasioned by the account which Baxter had given in many of his writings of Hinckley’s Letters: the last, of which Letters was answered by Baxter in his third,” Of the Cause of Peace, &c." ¹