Therewerefewbranchesofliteraturetowhichhehadnotpaidsomeattention。Butecclesiasticalantiquitywashisfavouritestudy。InreligiousopinionshebelongedtothatsectionoftheChurchofEnglandwhichliesfurthestfromGenevaandnearesttoRome。HisnotionstouchingEpiscopalgovernment，holyorders，theefficacyofthesacraments，theauthorityoftheFathers，theguiltofschism，theimportanceofvestments，ceremonies，andsolemndays，differedlittlefromthosewhicharenowheldbyDr。
PuseyandMr。Newman。Towardsthecloseofhislife，indeed，ColliertooksomestepswhichbroughthimstillnearertoPopery，mixedwaterwiththewineintheEucharist，madethesignofthecrossinconfirmation，employedoilinthevisitationofthesick，andofferedupprayersforthedead。Hispoliticswereofapiecewithhisdivinity。HewasaToryofthehighestsort，suchasinthecantofhisagewascalledaTantivy。Noteventhepersecutionofthebishopsandthespoliationoftheuniversitiescouldshakehissteadyloyalty。WhiletheConventionwassitting，hewrotewithvehemenceindefenceofthefugitiveking，andwasinconsequencearrested。Buthisdauntlessspiritwasnottobesotamed。Herefusedtotaketheoaths，renouncedallhispreferments，and，inasuccessionofpamphletswrittenwithmuchviolenceandwithsomeability，attemptedtoexcitethenationagainstitsnewmasters。In1692，hewasagainarrestedonsuspicionofhavingbeenconcernedinatreasonableplot。Sounbendingwerehisprinciplesthathisfriendscouldhardlypersuadehimtoletthembailhim;andheafterwardsexpressedhisremorseforhavingbeeninducedthustoacknowledge，byimplication，theauthorityofanusurpinggovernment。Hewassoonintroubleagain。SirJohnFriendandSirWilliamParkins，weretriedandconvictedofhightreasonforplanningthemurderofKingWilliam。Collieradministeredspiritualconsolationtothem，attendedthemtoTyburn，and，justbeforetheywereturnedoff，laidhishandsontheirheads，andbytheauthoritywhichhederivedfromChrist，solemnlyabsolvedthem。Thisscenegaveindescribablescandal。ToriesjoinedwithWhigsinblamingtheconductofthedaringpriest。Someacts，itwassaid，whichfallunderthedefinitionoftreasonaresuchthatagoodmanmay，introubledtimes，beledintothemevenbyhisvirtues。Itmaybenecessaryfortheprotectionofsocietytopunishsuchaman。Buteveninpunishinghimweconsiderhimaslegallyratherthanmorallyguilty，andhopethathishonesterror，thoughitcannotbepardonedhere，willnotbecountedtohimforsinhereafter。
ButsuchwasnotthecaseofCollier’spenitents。Theywereconcernedinaplotforwaylayingandbutchering，inanhourofsecurity，onewho，whetherhewereorwerenottheirking，wasatalleventstheirfellow—creature。WhethertheJacobitetheoryabouttherightsofgovernmentsandthedutiesofsubjectswereorwerenotwellfounded，assassinationmustalwaysbeconsideredasagreatcrime。Itiscondemnedevenbythemaximsofworldlyhonourandmorality。MuchmoremustitbeanobjectofabhorrencetothepureSpouseofChrist。TheChurchcannotsurely，withoutthesaddestandmostmournfulforebodings，seeoneofherchildrenwhohasbeenguiltyofthisgreatwickednesspassintoeternitywithoutanysignofrepentance。Thatthesetraitorshadgivenanysignofrepentancewasnotalleged。Itmightbethattheyhadprivatelydeclaredtheircontrition;and，ifso，theministerofreligionmightbejustifiedinprivatelyassuringthemoftheDivineforgiveness。Butapublicremissionoughttohavebeenprecededbyapublicatonement。Theregretofthesemen，ifexpressedatall，hadbeenexpressedinsecret。ThehandsofCollierhadbeenlaidontheminthepresenceofthousands。
TheinferencewhichhisenemiesdrewfromhisconductwasthathedidnotconsidertheconspiracyagainstthelifeofWilliamassinful。Butthisinferenceheveryvehemently，and，wedoubtnot，verysincerelydenied。
Thestormraged。ThebishopsputforthasolemncensureOftheabsolution。TheAttorney—GeneralbroughtthematterbeforetheCourtofKing’sBench。Collierhadnowmadeuphismindnottogivebailforhisappearancebeforeanycourtwhichderiveditsauthorityfromtheusurper。Heaccordinglyabscondedandwasoutlawed。Hesurvivedtheseeventsaboutthirtyyears。Theprosecutionwasnotpressed;andhewassoonsufferedtoresumehisliterarypursuitsinquiet。Atalaterperiod，manyattemptsweremadetoshakehisperverseintegritybyoffersofwealthanddignity，butinvain。WhenhediedtowardstheendofthereignofGeorgetheFirst，hestillunderthebanofthelaw。