SANDERSON, Robert (1587—1663), bishop of Lincoln, and one of the worthies celebrated by Izaak Walton, was born at Rotherham, Yorkshire, in 1587. He was educated at the grammar school of his native town and at Lincoln College, Oxford, took orders in 1611, and was promoted successively to several benefices. On the recommendation of Laud he was appointed one of the royal chaplains in 1631, and as a preacher was a great favourite with the king. In 1642 Charles created him regius professor of divinity at Oxford, with a canonry of Christ Church annexed. But the civil war prevented him until 1646 from entering on the office; and in 1648 he was ejected by the visitors whom the parliament had commissioned. He recovered these preferments at the Restoration, and was promoted to the bishopric of Lincoln, but lived only two years to enjoy his new dignities, dying in his seventy-sixth year in 1663. His most celebrated work is his Cases of Conscience, deliberate judgments upon points of morality submitted to him. Some of these cases, notably that of Sabbath observance, and that of signing the “Engagement” to the Commonwealth, were printed surreptitiously during his lifetime, though drawn up in answer to private spiritual clients; and a collection, gradually enlarged in successive editions, was published after his death. They are extremely interesting specimens of English casuistry, distinguished not less by moral integrity than good sense, learning, and close, comprehensive, and subtle reasoning. His practice as a college lecturer in logic is better evidenced by these “cases” than by his Compendium of Logic published in 1615. A complete edition of Sanderson’s works was edited by Dr Jacobson in 1854 (Oxford Press). To this the reader may be referred for his sermons and his ...