that fo dazzles the eyes that the fight becomes lefs perfect: But in them there was no want of useful matter, nor waste of words; and yet fuch clear diftinctions as difpelled all confufed notions, and made his hearers depart both wifer, and more confirmed in virtuous refolutions". His memory was fo matchlefs and firm, as it was only overcome by his bafhfulness: for he alone or to a friend, could repeat all the Odes of Horace, all Tully's Offices, and much of Juvenal and Perfius without book; and would fay, "the repe"tition of one of the Odes of Horace to himfelf (which he did 86 often) was to him fuch mufic, as a lefson on the viol was to "others, when they played it voluntarily to themselves or friends." And though he was blefsed with a clearer judgment than other men, yet he was so distrustful of it, that he did ufually over-confider of confequences, and would fo delay and reconfider what to determine, that though none ever determined better, yet when the bell tolled for him to appear and read his Divinity Lectures in Oxford, and all the scholars attended to hear him, he had not then, or not till then, refolved and writ what he meant to determine; fo that that appeared to be a truth, which his old dear friend, Dr. Sheldon would often say of him, namely, "That his judgment was fo much fuperior to his "fancy, that whatsoever this suggested, that difliked and con"trolled; ftill confidering and reconfidering, till his time was "fo wafted, that he was forced to write, not, probably, what "was beft, but what he thought laft." And yet what he did then read appeared to all hearers to be fo useful, clear, and fatisfactory, as none ever determined with greater applaufe. These tiring and perplexing thoughts begot in him fome averfenefs to enter into the toil of confidering and determining all cafuiftical points; becaufe during that time they neither gave reft to his body or mind. But though he would not fuffer his mind to be always loaden with these knotty points and distinctions; And to * If we had not the most convincing proofs of the indefatigable diligence, with which the Divines of the two laft centuries applied themselves to ftudy, it would be difficult to suppose that they could find time to collect the valt mass of matter, that forms the fubftance of their works. digeft that matter feems to require a man's whole life.In extent of eru. dition, Dr. Sanderfon was furpaffed by none of his contemporaries. He is clear and perfpicuous in his argumentation, eafy and natural in his language. But his far-fetched introductions, his tedious repetitions of divifion and fubdivifion, are difgufting. In compliance with the prevailing mode of the times, he introduces Latin quotations, even when he preaches to the common people; herein unlike to Dr. Edward Pocock, who was defcribed by one of his country parishioners, as "a plain honest man, but "no Latiner." In his difcourfes, we meet with the most comprehensive and the most accurate knowledge of classic antiquity. Thoroughly converfant in the best writings of Greece and Rome, he illuftrates his own fentiments by the most apposite applications from those treasures of learning. yet the study of old records, genealogies, and heraldry, were a recreation, and fo pleafing, that he would fay they gave a pleasant reft to his mind". Of the last of which I have feen two remarkable volumes, and the reader needs neither to doubt their truth or exactness. And this holy humble man had fo conquered all repining and ambitious thoughts, and with them all other unruly pafsions, that, if the accidents of the day proved to his danger or damage, yet, he both began and ended it with an even and undisturbed quietnefs; alwas praifing God that he had not withdrawn food and raiment from him and his poor family; nor fuffered him in the times of trial to violate his confcience for his fafety, or to fupport himself or them in a more fplendid or plentiful condition; and that he therefore refolved with David, "That his "praise fhould be always in his mouth." I have taken a content in giving my reader this character of his perfon, his temper, and fome of the accidents of his life past; and much more might be added of all: But I will with forrow look forward to the fad days, in which fo many good men (Clergymen efpecially) were fufferers; namely, about the year 1658, at which time Dr. Sanderson was in a pitiful condition as to his eftate: And in that time Mr. Robert Boyle, a gentleman of a "He was the most diligent collector of genealogies I ever knew in "these parts, especially of Lincolnshire." (Thoroton's History of Nottinghamshire, p. 475.) t In his Articles of Vifitation, in 1662, the Clergy within the county of Lincoln are defired to bring with them, in writing, a note of all fuch coats of arms as are in the Church windows, and of all fuch monuments, graveftones, and infcriptions whether of ancient or later times, as are yet remaining, in their feveral refpe&tive Churches or Chapels, or the Chancels thereof. In one of his fermons he has a continued allufion to this favourite fcience: "Confider this, you that are of noble or generous birth. Search your pedigrees, collect the scattered monuments and histories of your ancestors, and "obferve by what fteps your worthy progenitors raised their houtes to the "height of gentry or nobility. You ufu p their arms, if you inherit not their virtues and thofe enfigns of honour and gentry, which they by induftry achieved, fit no otherwise upon your thoulders, than as rich trappings upon aises' backs. If you, by brutish fextuality, and spending your time in fwinith luxury, stain the colours and embase the metals "of thole badges of your gentry and nobility, which you clam by de"fcent." (Sanderson's Sermons, p. 212.) u Thus did this good man innocently employ the hours of his relaxation from leverer studies. Animated by this bright example, let the Clergy be induced occasionally to extend their inquiries to other matters befides divinity. Dr. Sanderfon obferved it "very requifite that Ministers should have a competent skill in hiftory, mathematics, law, and phyfic, to enter***tain the ingenious and to advise the ignorant, who expect the Prieb's lips ***fhould pr. ferte all knowledge, and that the people fhould receive it from "their mouths." (Reason and Judgment, &c. p. 27.) x" Dr. Sanderfon had at that time a wife and children, was reduced to "great poverty, and, in the year 1658, was in a very pitiful condition. But, Dd living 1 very noble birth, and more eminent for his liberality, learning and virtue, and of whom I would fay much more, but that he "living to the restoration, he was reinftated in his Professorship and Canonry "in August, 1660, and in October the same year confecrated to the Bishopric "of Lincoln, the palace of which, at Buckden he repaired; and, as fines "came in, augmented feveral poor Vicarages, notwithstanding he was old "and had a family; which when his friends fuggefted to him, he made them "this return, 'that he left them to God, and hoped he should be able to "give them a competency;' though whether he did or not I am not informed, only the contrary feems probable, because he enjoyed the Bishopric "but a very little time." (Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy, p. 105.)-Of his ftate of poverty, fee" Tracts by Morley, Bishop of Winchester," published in 1683, and " Kennet's Regifter," p. 209. The following incident, which is faid to be well authenticated, proves the indigence to which Dr. Sanderson was reduced at one time, as well as the efteem in which he was held by thofe who knew him. Having been pillaged by foldiers, and left deftitute, he fent his old fervant, as he was wont in better times, to Grantham, to purchase provifions, telling him, that though he could not supply him with money, he doubted not that God would provide for his family. A company of gentlemen, feeing the fervant loitering in the market, reproved his idlenefs. The fervant related his master's great diftress, and the errand upon which he was fent. The good Doctor's wants were cheerfully and liberally fupplied by the company, and the fervant was difmiffed and loaded with provifions. Yet the author of "The Confefsional" hath obferved, that Dr. Calamy exhibits a different reprefentation, informing us, that "a certain worthy "Clergyman of the Church of England, Mr. Stephens, of Sutton, in Bed"fordshire, gave him an account, that to his knowledge, the Doctor was far "from being reduced to any poverty, in thofe times; nor was he in a pitiful "condition in 1658. He lived in as much plenty as the better fort of Clergy "did, upon his Rectory, and maintained his children fashionably. His "living was valued at 130 or 140 pounds per annum, and he had money be"fides which did not lie dead. For though he did not put it out to intereft "in the ordinary way, which he had written against; yet did he difpofe of it " in a way really more advantageous to the lender, and fometime to the borrower. For he would give a hundred pounds for twenty pounds for fe"ven years. This he thought lawful, but not the common way, which oc"cafioned reflections from feveral on his cafuiftical skill. This, he (Mr. "Stephens) faid, was the common report; and one that was his agent in "difpofing of the money, assured him of the truth of it." (The Church and Dissenters compared as to Persecution, p. 78.)—From the general character of Dr. Sanderfon, thus cruelly afperfed, the candid reader will determine what degree of credit is due to the above evidence. The farcafms on the cafuiftry of this eminent Divine, if they deferve notice, are best answered by the words of Archbishop Uther: "I propofed," fays he, the cafe to judicious Dr. Sanderfon, who grafped all the circumftances of it, and returned that happy anfwer, that met all my thoughts, "fatisfied all my fcruples, and cleared all my doubts." y Mr. BOYLE, the glory of his age and nation, died December 30, 1691, having furvived his beloved fifter, Lady Ranelagh, only one week. To the accomplishments of a scholar and a gentleman, he added the most exalted piety, the pureft fanctity of manners. His unbounded munificence was extended to the nobleft and most honourable purposes-the advancement of true religion in almost all parts of the world. A firm friend to the Church of England, he was one of her brightest ornaments. So long as goodness, learning, and charity, are held in eftimation, the name of Boyle will be revereŭ, At ftill lives, having cafually met with and read his Lectures de Juramento, to his great fatisfaction, and being informed of Dr. Sanderfon'sgreat innocence and fincerity, and that he and his family were brought into a low condition, by his not complying with the Parliament's injunctions, fent him by his dear friend Dr. Barlow (the now learned Bifhop of Lincoln) 501. and with it a requeft and promife: The requeft was, "that he "would review the Lectures de Confcientia, which he had read "when he was Doctor of the Chair in Oxford, and print them "for the good of pofterity;" and this Dr. Sanderson did in the year 1659. And the promife was, that he would pay him that, or, if he defired it, a greater fum yearly, during his life, "to enable him to pay amanuenfis, to ease him from the trouble "of writing what he thould conceive or dictate." For the more particular account of which, I refer my reader to a letter writ to me by the faid Dr. Barlow, which I have annexed to the end of this relation. At Oxford, which was then the afylum of learned men, Mr. Boyle fixed his refidence in 1654, that he might purfue his philofophical, critical, and theological studies. Here he formed a ftrict intimacy with Dr. Thomas Barlow, at that time principal Librarian of the Bodleian Library.- -Lord Orrery, in his notes on "Pliny's Epiftles," B. VI. Ep. 16. has compared Mr. Boyle, in his philofophical character, to Pliny the Elder, as refembling him in "his conftitution of body, and his fpeculative turn of mind, and his "too great credulity in believing all men as fincere and ingenuous as him"felf. " 2 Dr. THOMAS BARLOW, Provoft of Queen's College, Oxford, was appointed Bishop of Lincoln in 1675, and dying, in 1691, was buried on the north fide of the chancel of the Church of Bugden, near to the body of Dr. Sanderson, and, at his own request, in the grave of Dr. William Barlow, one of his predecessors, whose monument being destroyed in the late civil war, he caused another to be erected, and also one fʊr himself, with an infcription written by him a few days before his death. From his incomparable knowledge both in theology and Church-history, and the ecclefiaftical law, the character which Cicero gave of Crafsus has been applied to him: "Non unus è multis, fed unus inter omnes fingularis." His great zeal against Popery was confiderably abated after the accefsion of James II.; and it is much to be regretted, that we do not find his name among those ever venerable Prelates, who, in the hour of danger, stood forth the cham pions of the Protettant religion, by their steady oppofition to the mandates of arbitrary power. Dr. Sanderson, in confequence of this application, communicated by Dr. Barlow from Mr. Boyle, published his treatise entitled "De Obliga. tione Confcientiæ Prælectiones Decem Oxonii in Scholâ Theologicâ habitæ, Anno Domini 1647,” and addrefsed it to Mr. Boyle in an elegant dedication, dated at Boothby Pannell, Nov. 22, 1659, wherein be commends his patron, "cùm natalium fplendore illuftrem, tum generofæ mentis in"dole, amore literarum, humanitate, pietate, et omni virtutum genere "multò etiam illuftriorem, mihi tamen, delitescenti nimirum in parvá * Casula suaviter, nec quid rerum foris geratur, præsertim ut nunc sunt "tempora, multum solícito, de facie nunquam ante paucos menfes, nec de "nomine quidem, adeoque ne nunc tandem nifi folâ munificentiâ notum.” Towards the beginning of the year 1660, when the many mixed fects, and their creators, and merciless protectors, had led, or driven each other into a whirlpool of confufion both in Church and State; when amazement and fear had seized most of them by forefeeing they must now not only vomit up the Church's and the King's land, but their accufing confciences did alfo give them an inward and fearful intelligence, that the god of oppofition, difobedience and confufion, which they had fo long and fo diligently feared, was now ready to reward them with fuch wages as he always pays to witches for their obeying hima; when thefe wretches (that had faid to themfelves, "we "fhall fee no forrow") were come to forefee an end of their cruel reign, by our King's return, and fuch fufferers as Dr. Sander fon (and with him many of the opprefsed Clergy and others) could foresee the cloud of their afflictions would be difperfed by it; then the 29th of May following, the King, by our good God restored us, and we to our known laws and liberties, and then a general joy and peace feemed to breathe through the three nations; the fuffering and fequeftered Clergy (who had, like the children of Ifracl, fat long lamenting their fad condition, and hanged their neglected harps on the willows that grow by the rivers of Babylon) were, after many thoughtful days and restlefs nights, now freed from their fequeftration, reftored to their revenues, and to a liberty to adore, praife, and pray to Almighty God publicly, in fuch order as their con fciences and oaths had formerly obliged them. And the reader will eafily believe that Dr. Sanderfon and his dejected family rejoiced to fee this happy day, and be of this number. At this time of the conformable Clergy's deliverance from the Prefbyterian severities, the Doctor faid to a friend, "I look back "on this ftrange and happy turn of the late times, with amaze"ment and thankfulness; and cannot but think the Prefbyte a This allufion may admit fome apology, when it is confidered that the opinion concerning the reality of witchcraft was not exploded even at the end of the feventeenth century. The prejudices of popular credulity are not easily effaced. Men of learning, either from conviction, or from fome other equally powerful motive, adopted the fyftem of demonology ad. vanced by James I.; and it was only at a recent period that the Legisla, ture repealed the act made in the first year of the reign of that monarch entitled "An Act against Conjuration, Witchcraft, and dealing with evil and wicked Spirits.” A preacher from Queen's College, Cambridge, is required to deliver a difcourfe against witchcraft, diabolical contracts, &c. at Huntingdon, every year, on the 25th day of March. See " Smith's Select Discourtes,” p. 442. b On July 20, 1660, fome of the Clergy of the county of Lincoln, in the name of the relt, being brought into the royal prefence, the Earl of Manchester prefented an address to the King, by the hands of the reverend and most learned Dr. Sanderfon, accompanied by that worthy gentlemn, Sir Thomas Meers. This addrefs, of which there is a copy in "Kennet's Register,” p. 209, was probably penned by Dr. Sanderson. |