The Judgment of the Extent of Christs Death, Part 2 – Title page 2
The late Arch-Bishop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland, his judgement in matter of Doctrine, Discipline, and other subjects; of which there have been some different opinions among others, and some misinterpretations of him.
IN Doctrine he did fully approve the Articles of Religion of the Church of England, as the same more enlarged in the Articles of Ireland: The discipline and constitutious of both, he did also approve.
For the Liturgy in the publick prayers, as while he lived at Drogheda in Ireland, they were constantly observed in his family, so he had them in estimation to his last; And the last time he was in London upon the occasion of some rash groundlesse rumours raised of him to the contrary, (to his no small grief) he gave his judgement accordingly to an Honourable person, wrote with his owne hand, which he shewed unto me; He had constantly prayers in his family four times a day; At six in the morning, and eight at night, they were such, wherein the gifts of those, who were his Chaplains were exercised, but before Dinner and Supper in the Chappel, was the forenamed also observed; Indeed he was not so rigid, as to tie all men in the private, to an absolute necessary use of it, or in the publike, that a Sermon was not to be heard, unlesse that did precede; And for the healing or preventing of those distractions and divisions, which have been among Ministers as others, and the moderating of each extremity in relation to the use of it whereby there might be a return of that wished-for peace and unity, which of late years we have been strangers to, He conceived some prudent moderate accommodation might have been thought of (and yet may) by wise men, in order to the present continuance of the substantial part of it, (each side yielding somewhat, after the example of Saint Paul in circumstantials) which might have better borne the name of a reformation, than thus to have a totall suppression of it, whereby with the intention of gathering up the Tares, the Wheat hath been rooted up also.
As for some arbitrary innovations, not within the compasse of the rule, and order of the book, he did not affect, and often wished they had not been introduced, as foreseeing the issue of it, what was commanded he readily observed, but did not take upon him to introduce any Rite, or Ceremony upon his own opinion of decency, till the Church had judged it so; and thought they most owned the book, who neither added, or diminished from the rule of it.
And for bowing at the Name of Jesus, though he censured not those that did, either in our, or other Reformed Churches, according to the custome of each, yet he did not conceive the injunction of it could be founded upon that of the Apostle, Phil. 2. 10. and wondred at some learned mens assertions, that it was the Exposition of all the Fathers upon it, And as the wise composers of the Liturgy gave no direct injunction for it there, so in Ireland he withstood the putting of it into the Canon, Anno 1634.
That a form of prayer, not only by way of direction, but punctually composed were fit to be had in the publike he was ever for, as much conducing to the benefit of the vulgar people, which are the major part of the Nation, and especially in the administration of Baptisme, and the Communion, as well for the shunning and preventing the disorder, and scandalous confusion found in some mens performances of them, as the testifying of an unity and unanimity among us, which Saint Paul prefers as the more excellent way, before the variety of all Spirituall gifts whatsoever.
He often wished The judgement of Calvine concerning it (who was a wise and learned man) in his letter to the L. Protector of England, in Edward the sixth's time, were more known than it is, in regard of his esteem with such, who have oppsed it, who doth ao Quod ad formulam precum & rituum Ecclesiasticorum valde probo, ut certa illa extet à qua pastoribus discedere in functione sua non liceat, tam ut consulatur quorundam simplicitati & imperitiae, quam ut certius it a constat omnium inter se Ecclesiaerum consensus; …ostreme etiam ut obviam eatur desultoriae quorundam levitati, qui Novationes quasdam affectant; sic igitur statum esse Catechismum oportet statam Sacramentorum administrationem, publicam item precum formulam; vid. Ep. Anno 1546. Protectori Angliae.much approve that there should be a certain set form of prayer, from which it should not be lawfull for the Pastors to depart in their function, both that some care might be had of the more simple, and ignorant sort, as also that the consent of all the Churches within themselves might the more evidently appear. And lastly, for the prevention of the inconstant levity of some, who are affecters of novelty, and so adviseth to have a set Catechisme, a set form of publick prayers, and administration of Sacraments.
He was for the Ministers improving of their gifts, and abilties in prayer, before Sermon and after, according to his own practice: but if that were done, he saw no reason why the other should be left undone; The Church of God being like a great family, whereein some being Infants and Children, as well as of full age, a provision must be had of Milk, as stronger meat, and all ought to be equally taken care of, even the ignorant, and simpler sort, as well as those of greater education.
For Ordination, or an ordained Ministery, such was his judgement of the necessity of it, That he took it to be a fundamental, and one of those principles of Christian Doctrine, (Hebr. 6. 2.) called, laying on of hands; the great neglect of which he much lamented, as fearing it would prove to be the undermining the foundation of our Church, which Mr. Cartwright, in his aAnswer to the Rhem. …estCommentary upon the place, confirmes to the full, and in a higher expression, as if it were the overthrow of Christianity. And yet, as you have heard, he was not so severe as to condemn, and disown the Ministery of other reformed Churches, or refuse Communion with them, because in every particular, as to some persons usually ordaining, they were defective.
For Episcopacy, he was not wanting with Saint Paul to magnifie his own office, by two several Tractates he hath published, (none being more able to defend the ancient right of it) for which he was by Letters importuned, by some of the most eminent persons of his own profession, yet how humbly without any partiality to himself, and the eminent degree he had obtained in it, did he declare his judgement, is evident by the above-said Tractates, and the Letter before mentioned, And his prudence in the present accommodation of things in that Treatise of his, viz. The reduction of it to the form of Synodical Government, for the prevention of that disturbance, which did afterwards arise about it, is as apparent also; if others concerned in these transactions had been of that moderation, humility, and meeknesse, the wound given, might have been healed before it grew incurable.
That the Annual Commemorations of the Articles of the faith, such as the Nativity, Passion, Resurrection, of our Saviour, &c. were fit to be observed (which Saint Augustine saith, in his time were in use through the whole Catholick Church of Christ) and is now in some Reformed Churches, as a means to keep them in the memory of the vulgar, (according to the pattern of Gods injunction to the Israelites in the Old Testament, for the Types of them) appeared sufficiently to be his judgement, by his then constant preaching upon those subjects.
The Friday before Easter (i e. the Resurrection, East in old Saxon, signifying rising) appointed for the remembrance of the Passion of our Saviour, he did duely at Drogheda, in Ireland, observe as a solemn fast, (inclining the rather to that choice out of Prudence, and the security from censure, by the then custome of having Sermons beyond their ordinary limit in England;) when (after the publick prayers of the Church) he first preached upon that subject, extending himselfe in prayer and Sermon beyond his ordinary time, which we imitated, who succeeded in the duties of the day, and which being known to be his constant custome, some from Dublin, as other parts, came to partake of it; which most excellent Sermons of his upon that occasion, he was by many Godly Religious persons importuned much for the publishing of them, and his strict observation of this fast was such, that neither before, or after that extraordinary paines would he take the least refreshment, till about six a Clock, and which did not excuse him from Preaching again on Easter day, when we constantly had a Communion.
That Tractate of his, entitled, The Incarnation of the Son of God, was the summe of two, or three Sermons, which I heard him preach at Drogheda, at that Festivall, when we celebrate the birth of our Saviour.
That he was for the often publike reading of the ten Commandements, and the Creed, before the Congregation, according to the custome of other reformed Churches, I suppose none can doubt of, and not onelyonly that, which is commonly called the Apostles Creed, but the Nicene and Athanasius, his book of the three Creeds sufficiently perswade it.
What his judgement was of the use of the Lords Prayer, his practice shewed it in the constant concluding of his prayer before Sermon with it. And his approbation of that gesture of kneeling at the Communion was often apparent before many witnesses.
For confirmation of Children (which Calvine, Beza, Piscator, and others do much commend, and wish it were restored among them) he was not wanting in his observation, as an ancient laudable custome, by which was occasioned the more frequent having in memory the principles of religion, with the yonger sort. At his first publike giving notice of the time of that his intention, (it having been long disused in Ireland) he made a large speech unto the people of the antiquity of it, the prudence of the first reformers in purging it from Popish superstitions, with the end of it, and then such youths presented to him, who could repeat the publike Catechisme were confirmed, and so often afterwards, and indeed the apprehension of his piety and holinesse moved the Parents much, to desire that their Children might by him receive that Benediction, which was seconded with good, and spiritual instruction, that stuck to them when they came to further yeares.
The publike Catechisme, containing the summe of the Creed, the 10. Commandements, the Lords Prayer, and Doctrine of the Sacraments, despised by some for its plainnesse, he thought therefore to be the more profitable for the vulgar; And at Drogheda in Ireland, gave me orders every Lords day in the afternoon, (beside the Sermon which was not omitted) to explain it.
He was very exemplary in the careful observation of the Lords day in his family; The Sermon preached by him in the forenoon, being constantly repeated in the Chappel by his Chaplain, about five of the Clock in the afternoon, unto which many of the Town resorted.
For Habits, he observed such, which were accustomed by those of his profession; for the Organ, and the Quire, he continued them as he found them in use before him. And as in all things, so in his ordinary wearing Garments, he was a Pattern of gravity, approving much of a distinctive Apparel in the Ministery that way.
Lastly, for the Ecclesiastical Constitutions of Ireland, as he was in An. 1634. (being then the Primate) the chief guide in their establishment, so before he was a Bishop, An. 614. being then a Member of the Convocation, he was employed as a principal person for the Collecting, and drawing up such Canons as concerned the Discipline, and Government of the Church, and were to be treated upon by the Arch-Bishops and Bishops, and the rest of the Clergy of Ireland, (divers taken out of the Statutes, Queen Elizabeths Injunctions, and the Canons of England, 1571.) which I have lately found, written then with his own hand. The two first of which being in these words.
1. That no other form of Liturgy, or Divine service, shall be used in any Church of this Realm; but that, which is established by Law, and comprized in the book of Common-Prayer, and Administrations of Sacraments, &c. 2. That no other form of Ordination shall be used in this Nation, but which is contained in the book of ordering of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, allowed by Authority, and hitherto practized in the Churches of England, and Ireland, make it apparent that his judgement concerning many of the above-mentioned subjects, was the same in his yonger, as Elder years.
And yet notwithstanding all this, there were alwayes some, and still are too many, who are apt to blurre him with the title of a Puritane, (which is is one occasion of this enlargement) though in none the sense of it is more uncertain then in his application, and from none a greater lustre would be given unto it than by his reflexion. In whom, with his conformity to the Discipline, Liturgy, and Articles of the Church of England, labour in writing, constancy in preaching against the errours of Popery, and such as border upon it, so much humility, holinesse, and charity, and other fruits of the spirit did so eminently shine. Indeed I have seen divers Letters, wrote unto him from those, who heretofore were so aspersed, full of respect, and large expressions of their love to him, and many receiving satisfaction, have concurred with him in the abovesaid particulars, his humility and meeknesse prevailing more then others strict austerity, but how that said Title could be fixed on him, I am yet to seek, unlesse it bear a better sense than the Authours of it will own.
Nay, some of the simpler sort, hearing of a conjunction of Popery and Prelacy, have thought they could not be parted in him, though most of his Sermons, as well as his writings, sufficiently clear him that way. I remember many yeares agone, the late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury wrote unto him into Ireland, of a strong rumour then raised of him here at Court, That he was turned a Papist (presumed to be by a Letter of some Popish Priest from thence.) But it fell out to be at the same time, or immediately after he had in two Learned Sermons given his judgement at large, that the Papacy was meant by Babylon, in the 17, and 18, of the Revelation, which in the return of his answer to that report he did affirm, and was his judgment to his last, though the reply made to him did not consent in that.
I am not a stranger to such a design of some of the Romish party, a little before his death, for the raising of the like rumour, by some Letters wrote unto him from some of eminency among them, which I disdain any further to mention.
And thus upon this occasion I have endeavoured to prevent for the future, any more injurious mistakes of him, by an impartial declaring, according to my knowledge, his judgement, and practice in these particulars, wherein he may well be esteemed of us (as Erasmus saith of Saint Augstine) Vividum quoddam exemplar Episcopi, omnibus virtutum numeris absolutum. And I wish in these divided times, wherein each party hath a great, and a reverend opinion of him, they would shew it in this, by taking his spirit of moderation for their Copy to write after, and for my own part, I would to God not only they, but also all that read, or hear this of him, were both almost, and altogether such as he was.
THE REDUCTION OF EPISCOPACY Unto the Form of Synodical Government, Received in the ANCIENT CHURCH: By the most Reverend and learned Father of our Church Dr. JAMES USHER, late Arch-Bishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland. Proposed in the year 1641. as an Expedient for the prevention of those Troubles, which afterwards did arise about the matter of Church-Government.
Published by NICHOLAS BERNARD. D. D. Preacher to the Honourable Society of Grayes-Inne, London.
LONDON, Printed, Anno Domini. 1658.