Professor of Divinity]

In the year 1643, the two Houses of Parliament took upon them to make
an ordinance, and call an Assembly of Divines, to debate and settle
some Church-controversies, of which many were very unfit to judge; in
which Dr. Sanderson was also named, but did not appear; I suppose for
the same reason that many other worthy and learned men did forbear,
the summons wanting the King's authority. And here I must look back,
and tell the Reader, that in the year 1642, he was, July 21st, named
by a more undoubted authority to a more noble employment, which was
to be Professor Regius of Divinity in Oxford: but, though knowledge be
said to puff up, yet his modesty and too mean an opinion of his great
abilities, and some other real or pretended reasons,--expressed in his
speech, when he first appeared in the chair, and since printed,--kept
him from entering into it till October, 1646.

[Sidenote: His lectures]

He did, for about a year's time, continue to read his matchless
Lectures, which were first _de Juramento_, a point very difficult, and
at that time very dangerous to be handled as it ought to be. But this
learned man, as he was eminently furnished with abilities to satisfy
the consciences of men upon that important subject; so he wanted not
courage to assert the true obligation of Oaths in a degenerate age,
when men had made perjury a main part of their religion. How much
the learned world stands obliged to him for these, and his following
Lectures _de Conscientia_, I shall not attempt to declare, as
being very sensible that the best pens must needs fall short in the
commendation of them: so that I shall only add, that they continued
to this day, and will do for ever, as a complete standard for the
resolution of the most material doubts in Casuistical Divinity. And
therefore I proceed to tell the Reader, that about the time of his
reading those Lectures,--the King being then prisoner in the Isle of
Wight,--the Parliament had sent the Covenant, the Negative Oath, and
I know not what more, to be taken by the Doctor of the Chair, and
all Heads of Houses; and all other inferior Scholars, of what degree
soever, were all to take these Oaths by a fixed day; and those that
did not, to abandon their College, and the University too, within
twenty-four hours after the beating of a drum; for if they remained
longer, they were to be proceeded against as spies.

Dr. Laud, then Archbishop of Canterbury, the Earl of S