Sanderson's Life, I met with these little Tracts annexed; so, in my
former queries for my information to write the Life of venerable Mr.
Hooker, I met with a Sermon, which I also believe was really his, and
here presented as his to the Reader. It is affirmed,--and I have
met with reason to believe it,--that there be some Artists, that do
certainly know an original picture from a copy; and in what age of the
world, and by whom drawn. And if so, then I hope it may be as safely
affirmed, that what is here presented for their's is so like their
temper of mind, their other writings, the times when, and the
occasions upon which they were writ, that all Readers may safely
conclude, they could be writ by none but venerable Mr. Hooker, and the
humble and learned Dr. Sanderson.
And lastly, I am now glad that I have collected these memoirs, which
lay scattered, and contracted them into a narrower compass; and if I
have, by the pleasant toil of doing so, either pleased or profited any
man, I have attained what I designed when I first undertook it. But I
seriously wish, both for the Reader's and Dr. Sanderson's sake, that
posterity had known his great Learning and Virtue by a better pen; by
such a pen, as could have made his life as immortal, as his learning
and merits ought to be.
I.W.
THE LIFE
OF
DR. ROBERT SANDERSON,
LATE LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN.
[Sidenote: Birth and birth-place]
Doctor Robert Sanderson, the late learned Bishop of Lincoln, whose
Life I intend to write with all truth and equal plainness, was born
the nineteenth day of September in the year of our Redemption 1587.
The place of his birth was Rotherham[1] in the County of York; a Town
of good note, and the more for that Thomas Rotherham,[2] some time
Archbishop of that see, was born in it; a man, whose great wisdom,
and bounty, and sanctity of life, have made it the more memorable: as
indeed it ought also to be, for being the birth-place of our Robert
Sanderson. And the Reader will be of my belief, if this humble
relation of his life can hold any proportion with his great Piety, his
useful Learning, and his many other extraordinary endowments.
[Sidenote: His father]
He was the second and youngest Son, of Robert Sanderson, of
Gilthwaite-Hall, in the said Parish and County, Esq., by Elizabeth,
one of the daughters of Richard Carr, of Butterthwaite-Hall, in the
Parish of Ecclesfield, in the said County of York, Gentleman.
This Robert Sanderson, the Father, was descended from a numerous,
ancient, and honourable family of his own name: for the search of
which truth, I refer my Reader, that inclines to it, to Dr. Thoroton's
"History of the Antiquities of Nottinghamshire," and other records;
not thinking it necessary here to engage him into a search for bare
titles, which are noted to have in them nothing of reality: for titles
not acquired, but derived only, do but shew us who of our ancestors
have, and how they have achieved that honour which their descendants
claim, and may not be worthy to enjoy. For, if those titles descend to
persons that degenerate into Vice, and break off the continued line of
Learning, or Valour, or that Virtue that acquired them, they destroy
the very foundation upon which that Honour was built; and all the
rubbish of their vices ought to fall heavy on such dishonourable
heads; ought to fall so heavy, as to degrade them of their titles, and
blast their memories with reproach and shame.
But our Robert Sanderson lived worthy of his name and family: of
which one testimony may be, that Gilbert, called the Great Earl
of Shrewsbury, thought him not unworthy to be joined with him as
a Godfather to Gilbert Sheldon,[3] the late Lord Archbishop of
Canterbury; to whose merits and memory, posterity--the Clergy
especially--ought to pay a reverence.
[Sidenote: His youth]
But I return to my intended relation of Robert the Son, who began in
his youth to make the Laws of God, and obedience to his parents, the
rules of his life; seeming even then to dedicate himself, and all his
studies, to Piety and Virtue.
[Sidenote: His early training]
And as he was inclined to this by that native goodness, with which the
wise Disposer of all hearts had endowed his; so this calm, this
quiet and happy temper of mind--his being mild, and averse to
oppositions--made the whole course of his life easy and grateful both
to himself and others: and this blessed temper was maintained and
improved by his prudent Father's good example; and by frequent
conversing with him, and scattering short apophthegms and little
pleasant stories, and making useful applications of them, his son was
in his infancy taught to abhor Vanity and Vice as monsters, and to
discern the loveliness of Wisdom and Virtue; and by these means, and
God's concurring grace, his knowledge was so augmented, and his native
goodness so confirmed, that all became so habitual, as it was not easy
to determine whether Nature or Education were his teachers.
And here let me tell the Reader, that these early beginnings of
Virtue, were by God's assisting grace, blessed with what St. Paul
seemed to beg for his Philippians [Phil. i. 6.]; namely, "That he,
that had begun a good work in them, would finish it." And Almighty
God did: for his whole life was so regular and innocent, that he might
have said at his death--and with truth and comfort--what the same St.
Paul said after to the same Philippians, when he advised them to walk
as they had him for an example [chap. iii. 17].
[Sidenote: At Rotherham]
And this goodness, of which I have spoken, seemed to increase as his
years did; and with his goodness his Learning, the foundation of which
was laid in the Grammar-school of Rotherham--that being one of those
three that were founded and liberally endowed by the said great and
good Bishop of that name.--And in this time of his being a Scholar
there, he was observed to use an unwearied diligence to attain
learning, and to have a seriousness beyond his age, and with it a more
than common modesty; and to be of so calm and obliging a behaviour,
that the Master and whole number of Scholars loved him as one man.
And in this love and amity he continued at that School till about
the thirteenth year of his age; at which time his Father designed to
improve his Grammar learning, by removing him from Rotherham to one of
the more noted Schools of Eton or Westminster; and after a year's stay
there, then to remove him thence to Oxford. But, as he went with him,
he called on an old friend, a Minister of noted learning, and told him
his intentions; and he, after many questions with his Son, received
such answers from him, that he assured his Father, his Son was so
perfect a Grammarian, that he had laid a good foundation to build
any or all the Arts upon; and therefore advised him to shorten his
journey, and leave him at Oxford. And his Father did so.
[Sidenote: At Oxford]
[Sidenote: Master of Arts]
His father left him there to the sole care and manage of Dr.
Kilbie,[4] who was then Rector of Lincoln College. And he, after some
time and trial of his manners and learning, thought fit to enter him
of that College, and, after to matriculate him in the University,
which he did the first of July, 1603; but he was not chosen Fellow
till the third of May, 1606; at which time he had taken his degree of
Bachelor of Arts: at the taking of which degree, his Tutor told the
Rector, "That his pupil Sanderson had a metaphysical brain and a
matchless memory; and that he thought he had improved or made the last
so by an art of his own invention." And all the future employments of
his life proved that his tutor was not mistaken. I must here stop
my Reader, and tell him that this Dr. Kilbie was a man of so great
learning and wisdom, and was so excellent a critic in the Hebrew
Tongue, that he was made Professor of it in this university; and was
also so perfect a Grecian, that he was by King James appointed to
be one of the Translators of the Bible; and that this Doctor and Mr.
Sanderson had frequent discourses, and loved as father and son. The
Doctor was to ride a journey into Derbyshire, and took Mr. Sanderson
to bear him company: and they going together on a Sunday with the
Doctor's friend to that Parish Church where they then were, found the
young Preacher to have no more discretion, than to waste a great part
of the hour allotted for his Sermon in exceptions against the late
Translation of several words,--not expecting such a hearer as Dr.
Kilbie,--and shewed three reasons why a particular word should have
been otherwise translated. When Evening Prayer was ended, the Preacher
was invited to the Doctor's friend's house; where after some other
conference the Doctor told him, "He might have preached more useful
doctrine, and not have filled his auditors' ears with needless
exceptions against the late Translation: and for that word, for which
he offered to that poor congregation three reasons why it ought to
have been translated as he said; he and others had considered
all them, and found thirteen more considerable reasons why it was
translated as now printed;" and told him, "If his friend, then
attending him, should prove guilty of such indiscretion, he should
forfeit his favour." To which Mr. Sanderson said, "He hoped he should
not." And the preacher was so ingenuous as to say, "He would not
justify himself." And so I return to Oxford. In the year 1608,--July
the 11th,--Mr. Sanderson was completed Master of Arts. I am not
ignorant, that for the attaining these dignities the time was shorter
than was then or is now required; but either his birth or the well
performance of some extraordinary exercise, or some other merit, made
him so: and the Reader is requested to believe, that 'twas the last:
and requested to believe also, that if I be mistaken in the time, the
College Records have misinformed me: but I hope they have not.
In that year of 1608, he was--November the 7th--by his College chosen
Reader of Logic in the House; which he performed so well, that he was
chosen again the sixth of November, 1609. In the year 1613, he was
chosen Sub-Rector of the College, and the like for the year 1614, and
chosen again to the same dignity and trust for the year 1616.
In all which time and employments, his abilities and behaviour were
such, as procured him both love and reverence from the whole Society;
there being no exception against him for any faults, but a sorrow
for the infirmities of his being too timorous and bashful; both which
were, God knows, so connatural as they never left him. And I know not
whether his lovers ought to wish they had; for they proved so like the
radical moisture in man's body, that they preserved the life of virtue
in his soul, which by God's assisting grace never left him till this
life put on immortality. Of which happy infirmities--if they may be so
called--more hereafter.
[Sidenote: Standing for Proctor]
In the year 1614 he stood to be elected one of the Proctors for the
University. And 'twas not to satisfy any ambition of his own, but to
comply with the desire of the Rector and whole Society, of which he
was a Member; who had not had a Proctor chosen out of their College
for the space of sixty years;--namely, not from the year 1554, unto
his standing;--and they persuaded him, that if he would but stand for
Proctor, his merits were so generally known, and he so well beloved,
that 'twas but appearing, and he would infallibly carry it against any
opposers; and told him, "That he would by that means recover a right
or reputation that was seemingly dead to his College." By these, and
other like persuasions, he yielded up his own reason to their's, and
appeared to stand for Proctor. But that election was carried on by so
sudden and secret, and by so powerful a faction, that he missed it.
Which when he understood, he professed seriously to his friends, "That
if he were troubled at the disappointment, it was for their's, and
not for his own sake: for he was far from any desire of such an
employment, as must be managed with charge and trouble, and was too
usually rewarded with hard censures, or hatred, or both."
[Sidenote: Lectures on Logic]
[Sidenote: Their success]
In the year following he was earnestly persuaded by Dr. Kilbie and
others, to review the Logic Lectures which he had read some years past
in his College; and, that done, to methodise and print them, for the
ease and public good of posterity. But though he had an averseness to
appear publicly in print; yet after many serious solicitations,
and some second thoughts of his own, he laid aside his modesty, and
promised he would; and he did so in that year of 1615. And the book
proved as his friends seemed to prophesy, that is, of great and
general use, whether we respect the Art or the Author. For Logic may
be said to be an Art of right reasoning; an Art that undeceives men
who take falsehood for truth; enables men to pass a true judgment, and
detect those fallacies, which in some men's understandings usurp the
place of right reason. And how great a master our Author was in this
art, will quickly appear from that clearness of method, argument, and
demonstration, which is so conspicuous in all his other writings. He,
who had attained to so great a dexterity in the use of reason
himself, was best qualified to prescribe rules and directions for the
instructions of others. And I am the more satisfied of the excellency
and usefulness of this, his first public undertaking, by hearing that
most Tutors in both Universities teach Dr. Sanderson's Logic to their
Pupils, as a foundation upon which they are to build their future
studies in Philosophy. And, for a further confirmation of my belief,
the Reader may note, that since his Book of Logic was first printed
there has not been less than ten thousand sold: and that 'tis like to
continue both to discover truth and to clear and confirm the reason of
the unborn world.[5]
[Sidenote: Senior Proctor]
It will easily be believed that his former standing for a Proctor's
place, and being disappointed, must prove much displeasing to a man of
his great wisdom and modesty, and create in him an averseness to run a
second hazard of his credit and content: and yet he was assured by Dr.
Kilbie, and the Fellows of his own College, and most of those that
had opposed him in the former Election, that his Book of Logic had
purchased for him such a belief of his learning and prudence, and
his behaviour at the former Election had got for him so great and so
general a love, that all his former opposers repented what they had
done; and therefore persuaded him to venture to stand a second time.
And, upon these, and other like encouragements, he did again, but not
without an inward unwillingness, yield up his own reason to their's,
and promised to stand. And he did so; and was the tenth of April,
1616, chosen Senior Proctor for the year following; Mr. Charles
Crooke[6] of Christ Church being then chosen the Junior.
In this year of his being Proctor, there happened many memorable
accidents; namely, Dr. Robert Abbot,[7] Master of Balliol College, and
Regius Professor of Divinity,--who being elected or consecrated Bishop
of Sarum some months before,--was solemnly conducted out of Oxford
towards his Diocese, by the Heads of all Houses, and the chief of
all the University. And Dr. Prideaux[8] succeeded him in the
Professorship, in which he continued till the year 1642,--being then
elected Bishop of Worcester,--and then our now Proctor, Mr. Sanderson,
succeeded him in the Regius Professorship.
[Sidenote: Dr. Lake]
And in this year Dr. Arthur Lake[9]--then Warden of New College--was
advanced to the Bishopric of Bath and Wells: a man of whom I take
myself bound in justice to say, that he has made the great trust
committed to him, the chief care and whole business of his life. And
one testimony of this proof may be, that he sate usually with his
Chancellor in his Consistory, and at least advised, if not assisted,
in most sentences for the punishing of such offenders as deserved
Church-censures. And it may be noted, that, after a sentence for
penance was pronounced, he did very rarely or never, allow of any
commutation for the offence, but did usually see the sentence
for penance executed; and then as usually preached a Sermon on
mortification and repentance, and did so apply them to the offenders,
that then stood before him, as begot in them a devout contrition, and
at least resolutions to amend their lives: and having done that, he
would take them--though never so poor--to dinner with him, and use
them friendly, and dismiss them with his blessing and persuasions to
a virtuous life, and beg them to believe him. And his humility and
charity, and other Christian excellencies, were all like this. Of
all which the Reader may inform himself in his Life, truly writ, and
printed before his Sermons.
And in this year also, the very prudent and very wise Lord Ellesmere,
who was so very long Lord Chancellor of England, and then of Oxford,
resigning up the last, the Right Honourable, and as magnificent,
William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, was chosen to succeed him.
[Sidenote: University matters]
And in this year our late King Charles the First--then Prince of
Wales--came honourably attended to Oxford; and having deliberately
visited the University, the Schools, Colleges, and Libraries, he and
his attendants were entertained with ceremonies and feasting suitable
to their dignity and merits.
And this year King James sent letters to the University for the
regulating their studies; especially of the young Divines: advising
they should not rely on modern sums and systems, but study the Fathers
and Councils, and the more primitive learning. And this advice was
occasioned by the indiscreet inferences made by very many Preachers
out of Mr. Calvin's doctrine concerning Predestination, Universal
Redemption, the Irresistibility of God's Grace, and of some other
knotty points depending upon these; points which many think were not,
but by interpreters forced to be, Mr. Calvin's meaning; of the truth
or falsehood of which I pretend not to have an ability to judge; my
meaning in this relation, being only to acquaint the Reader with the
occasion of the King's Letter.
[Sidenote: Revision of the Statutes]
It may be observed, that the various accidents of this year did afford
our Proctor large and laudable matter to dilate and discourse upon:
and that though his office seemed, according to statute and custom,
to require him to do so at his leaving it; yet he chose rather to
pass them over with some very short observations, and present the
governors, and his other hearers, with rules to keep up discipline and
order in the University; which at that time was, either by defective
Statutes, or want of the due execution of those that were good, grown
to be extremely irregular. And in this year also, the magisterial part
of the Proctor required more diligence, and was more difficult to be
managed than formerly, by reason of a multiplicity of new Statutes,
which begot much confusion; some of which Statutes were then, and
others suddenly after, put into an useful execution. And though these
Statutes were not then made so perfectly useful as they were designed,
till Archbishop Laud's time--who assisted in the forming and promoting
them;--yet our present Proctor made them as effectual as discretion
and diligence could do: of which one example may seem worthy the
noting; namely, that if in his night-walk he met with irregular
Scholars absent from their Colleges at University hours, or disordered
by drink, or in scandalous company, he did not use his power of
punishing to an extremity; but did usually take their names, and a
promise to appear before him unsent for next morning; and when they
did, convinced them, with such obligingness, and reason added to it,
that they parted from him with such resolutions, as the man after
God's own heart was possessed with, when he said, "There is mercy with
thee, and therefore thou shall be feared:" Psal. cxxx. 4. And by this
and a like behaviour to all men, he was so happy as to lay down this
dangerous employment, as but very few, if any, have done, even without
an enemy.
[Sidenote: Looking back]
After his speech was ended, and he retired with a friend into a
convenient privacy, he looked upon his friend with a more than common
cheerfulness, and spake to him to this purpose: "I look back upon my
late employment with some content to myself, and a great thankfulness
to Almighty God, that he hath made me of a temper not apt to provoke
the meanest of mankind, but rather to pass by infirmities, if noted;
and in this employment I have had--God knows--many occasions to do
both. And when I consider, how many of a contrary temper are by sudden
and small occasions transported and hurried by anger to commit such
errors, as they in that passion could not foresee, and will in their
more calm and deliberate thoughts upbraid, and require repentance: and
consider, that though repentance secures us from the punishment of
any sin, yet how much more comfortable it is to be innocent than need
pardon: and consider, that errors against men, though pardoned both by
God and them, do yet leave such anxious and upbraiding impressions in
the memory, as abates of the offender's content:--when I consider all
this, and that God hath of his goodness given me a temper that hath
prevented me from running into such enormities, I remember my temper
with joy and thankfulness. And though I cannot say with David--I wish
I could,--that therefore 'his praise shall always be in my mouth;'
Psal. xxxiv. 1; yet I hope, that by his grace, and that grace seconded
by my endeavours, it shall never be blotted out of my memory; and I
now beseech Almighty God that it never may."
[Sidenote: Gilbert Sheldon]
And here I must look back, and mention one passage more in his
Proctorship, which is, that Gilbert Sheldon, the late Lord Archbishop
of Canterbury, was this year sent to Trinity College in that
University; and not long after his entrance there, a letter was sent
after him from his godfather--the father of our Proctor--to let his
son know it, and commend his godson to his acquaintance, and to
more than a common care of his behaviour; which proved a pleasing
injunction to our Proctor, who was so gladly obedient to his father's
desire, that he some few days after sent his servitor to intreat
Mr. Sheldon to his chamber next morning. But it seems Mr. Sheldon
having--like a young man as he was--run into some such irregularity
as made him conscious he had transgressed his statutes, did therefore
apprehend the Proctor's invitation as an introduction to punishment;
the fear of which made his bed restless that night: but, at their
meeting the next morning, that fear vanished immediately by the
Proctor's cheerful countenance, and the freedom of their discourse of
friends. And let me tell my Reader, that this first meeting proved the
beginning of as spiritual a friendship as human nature is capable of;
of a friendship free from all self ends: and it continued to be so,
till death forced a separation of it on earth; but it is now reunited
in Heaven.
[Sidenote: Ordination]
And now, having given this account of his behaviour, and the
considerable accidents in his Proctorship, I proceed to tell my
Reader, that, this busy employment being ended, he preached his sermon
for his Degree of Bachelor in Divinity in as elegant Latin, and as
remarkable for the matter, as hath been preached in that University
since that day. And having well performed his other exercises for that
Degree, he took it the nine and twentieth of May following, having
been ordained Deacon and Priest in the year 1611, by John King, then
Bishop of London, who had not long before been Dean of Christ Church,
and then knew him so well, that he became his most affectionate
friend. And in this year, being then about the twenty-ninth of his
age, he took from the University a license to preach.
[Sidenote: Wibberton and Boothby Pagnell]
In the year 1618, he was by Sir Nicholas Sanderson, Lord Viscount
Castleton, presented to the Rectory of Wibberton, not far from Boston,
in the County of Lincoln, a living of very good value; but it lay in
so low and wet a part of that country as was inconsistent with his
health. And health being--next to a good conscience--the greatest of
God's blessings in this life, and requiring therefore of every man a
care and diligence to preserve it, he, apprehending a danger of losing
it, if he continued at Wibberton a second Winter, did therefore resign
it back into the hands of his worthy kinsman and patron, about one
year after his donation of it to him.