the irish articles of religion of 1615

THE IRISH ARTICLES OF

RELIGION

1615 – 2015

400th

Anniversary

Lecture James Ussher – the 100th

Archbishop of Armagh

1 Ely Centre - 27th January 2016

Why Should We Be Interested?

Consolidated the Church of Ireland as a

truly Reformed Protestant Church.

Unified Presbyterians and Episcopalians

into one denomination.

The work of the most respected scholar

of the 17th Century.

Key to our understanding of the period

which has most influenced modern Ulster.

Ely Centre - 27th January 2016 2

What Will We Learn?

1: Progress of Protestantism in Ireland

2: A Divided People

3: James Ussher and Trinity College, Dublin

4: The Irish Articles of Religion

5: The Arrival of the Ulster Scots

6: The Loss of Independence

7: The Civil War and the Protectorate


What Will We Learn?


2: A Divided People







The European Reformation


1517

Martin Luther

Nailed His 95

Theses to the

Church Door at

Wittenberg

The Politics of the English

Reformation


1532

Henry Head of C of E

1533

Catherine of Aragon

Divorced

1536

Monasteries Dissolved

1538

Bible placed in Churches

The Theology of the English

Reformation


1547

Six Articles Abolished

Images Removed from

Churches

1548

Cranmer’s Catechism

and Prayer Book

Published

King Edward 6th

Protestantism in Ireland

1536

Act of Supremacy –

Henry declared Head of the Church of

Ireland


The 39 Articles of Religion

1571

Defining the English Church as Protestant


The Irish Church while nominally

embracing Protestantism never

officially adopted the 39 Articles and

were bereft of a Theological Basis

A State of Confusion

The population were largely Catholic.

Many of the Clergy were Catholic.

Protestant Church services were

conducted in English or Latin.

The use of Irish was discouraged.


t

The Irish Reformation was a failure

because it was a political movement

associated with English rule.

What Will We Learn?


2: A Divided Society





7 The Civil War and the Protectorate


Beyond the Pale


Ireland was in a state of rebellion against

the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st.

Nowhere beyond the Dublin and the Pale

(Meath, Louth and Kildare) was safe.

Ulster under O’Neill (Tyrone) O’Donnell

(Tyrconnell) and Maguire (Fermanagh) was

the most difficult to govern.

Continued Rebellion

Hugh O’Neill –

“Commander and Captain

General of Catholic Army

in Ireland”

In many homes a portrait

of the King of Spain was

displayed.

13

Clement 7th

Ely Centre - 27th January 2016

Rebellion Crushed

1601

Spanish Invasion force landed in Kinsale

1607

The Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell flee to

the continent leaving the crown huge

acreage and a power vacuum.


The Counter Reformation

The Church of Rome saw Ireland as

the ideal place to reverse the

Reformation.

Colleges were established in Spain,

France and Portugal to train Irish

Priests


Henry Fitsymmons

Irish Jesuit.

1596 – celebrated the first Mass in

Dublin for 40 years for which he was

jailed.

He was the subject of James Ussher’s

first public controversy.

Fitsymmons went onto be a

supporter of the 1641 rebellion.


What Will We Learn?


2: A Divided People





7 The Civil War and the Protectorate


Archbishop James Ussher

18

The Greatest

Luminary of

the Church of

Ireland

Born - 1581


The Ussher Family

The founder was an usher to King John when

he visited Ireland in 1185.

Arlandus Ussher was Mayor of Dublin in the 15th

Century.

A prominent Dublin family.

His Grandfather was speaker of the Irish House

of Commons for three successive Parliaments


James Ussher’s

Introduction to the Scriptures

Surrounded by Roman Catholic

relatives.

His mother converted to Catholicism

after his father’s death.

Two blind aunts carefully instructed

him in the Gospel and the great

Reformation truths.


His Conversion

Listening to a sermon on Romans

12:1.

Ten years of age.

Confessions of St Augustine.

He was convinced of

Sabbaterianism at an early age.


Romans 12:1

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God, that ye

present your bodies a living

sacrifice, holy, acceptable

unto God, which is your reasonable

service.”


Presbyterians at the Free School

1589 – enrolled at a Free School

established by Queen Elizabeth.

Tutors – Scots – James Fullerton and

James Hamilton (later Viscount

Clandeboye).

Both had been pupils of Andrew

Melville in Glasgow University.


Trinity College

1593

Aged 15 – began his work of chronicling the Bible.

1596 - BA Degree

Began a study to show that Roman Catholic faith was not the true faith.


Walter Travers

A Presbyterian Divine, ordained in

Holland because he refused to be

ordained by the Anglican Church.

Appointed as Provost of Trinity

College.

James Ussher educated in a college

that had a distinctly puritan outlook.


The Young Dublin Preacher

26

Delivered weekly

addresses on

Roman Catholicism.

A number of

Roman Catholics

were converted.


Ordination

1601 – by his Uncle The Archbishop

of Armagh.

His first sermon was preached on a

Day of Prayer for success against the

Spanish Invasion.


James Ussher the Scholar

1613 History of the Churches in the West.

His university theses were on Daniel’s 70

weeks and the Millennial Reign.

1614 – Vice Chancellor of Trinity College.

1650 – Published his Annals of the World

(World created 4004BC).


JAMES USSHER

29

Qualified to

Define the

Protestant

Church of

Ireland


The 39 Articles of Religion


Queen Elizabeth 1st

1571

Questioned by the Puritans for

their lack of Calvinism and their

leaning towards Catholicism in

the Sacraments

1595 – Lambeth Articles

9 Articles, never accepted by the

Queen, drawn up by the

Archbishop of Canterbury, to

settle the controversy.

Convocation of the

Church of Ireland

24th May 1613 – 24th April 1615


Agreed upon by the Archbishops and Bishops,

and the rest of the Clergy of Ireland, in the

Convocation holden at Dublin in the Year of

our Lord God 1615, for the Avoiding of

Diversities of Opinions, and the Establishing of

Consent touching True Religion.

Major Influences

Puritan; Calvinism.

Influx of Presbyterian Settlers in Ulster.

Desire to avoid the theological disputes.

that had ravaged England.

Put clear water between the Irish

Protestant Church and Roman

Catholicism.

There would be no ambiguity.


Theology of the Irish Articles

The Bible “given by Inspiration of God”(2)

Predestination – “God from all eternity did, by his unchangeable counsel, ordain whatsoever in time should come to pass; yet so, as thereby no violence is offered to the wills of the reasonable creatures...” (11)

Covenant – “He fulfilled the law for us perfectly: For our sakes he endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body. He was crucified, and died to reconcile his Father unto us...” (30)


Theology of the Irish Articles

Depravity – “we have no power to do good works pleasing, acceptable unto God” (25)

Justification – “We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, applied by faith, and not for our own works or merits. And this righteousness, which we so receive of God's mercy and Christ's merits, embraced by faith, is taken, accepted, and allowed of God, for our perfect and full justification.” (34)


Theological Clarity


Irish Articles

Baptism

“sign of profession”

Lord’s Supper “a sign..sealing unto us

our spiritual

nourishment”

39 Articles

Baptism “sign of

regeneration...grafted into

the Church”

Lord’s Supper “the bread...and cup...is a

partaking...body...and...

blood of Christ”

Agreement on the Mass

Irish Articles – “The Sacrifice of the

Mass... most injurious to that all-sufficient

Sacrifice of our Saviour Christ, offered once

forever upon the cross...” (99)

39 Articles – “blasphemous fables and

dangerous deceits”(31)


The Papacy

“80. The Bishop of Rome is so far from being

the supreme head of the universal Church of

Christ, that his works and doctrine do plainly

discover him to be that man of sin, foretold in

the holy Scriptures, whom the Lord shall

consume with the spirit of his mouth, and

abolish with the brightness of his coming .”


Significant Omissions

No mention of the hierarchy of

offices; priests, deacons, bishops

and archbishops.

Lent disavowed.


An All Embracing Church

Ministers not required to subscribe but were required not to teach any doctrine contrary.

Ussher’s wished to produce a Church which would evangelise the Catholic population.

His attempt was to unite Protestants of all shades in the one communion.


An Independent Church

“the Irish Articles constitute a remarkable

declaration of independence by the Church

of Ireland” (Alan Ford)


The Glory of the Articles

“This was the glory of Ussher’s reformed

church. Emphatically Puritan, rigorously

scholastic, but charitable to weaker

consciences, nothing was to stand in the

way of it’s evangelisation of Ireland –

nothing that is, but the interference of

English Protestants.”

(Crawford Gribben)


What Will We Learn?


2: A Divided People








The Plantation of Ulster

Six of Ulster’s Nine Counties were now

possessed by the state.

Armagh, Cavan, Coleraine, Donegal,

Fermanagh and Tyrone.

The Plantations in Antrim and Down

were under the control of private

landlords.

43


The Challenge

Attacks from the natives.

Castles and Bawns had to be erected.

Forests were cleared.

Towns and villages established.

44


The Results

Communities such as Belfast,

Londonderry, Coleraine, Ballymena

and Newtownards owe their formation

to the Plantation.

45


The Ecomomic Success of the

Plantation Ulster became the most prosperous part

of Ireland.

“They are I believe without exception the

toughest, the most dominant the most

irresistible race that exists in the universe

at this moment.”

Lord Rosebery Prime Minister, 1894-95

46


What Brought the Presbyterians to

Ireland?

James 6th of Scotland initially appeared to be a

Presbyterian.

When he became James 1st of England he

suspended the General Assembly and imposed

the 5 Articles of Perth on the Church.

James Melville, successor to Knox, was confined

to the Tower of London for 4 years.

47


Janet’s Lug

In 1625 Charles 1st was crowned.

A peasant called Janet Geddes flung her stool at the Dean of Edinburgh when the book was introduced crying out, “dost thou say Mass at my lug”.

Many godly Scots tired of the strife saw Ireland as a more peaceful place to worship God.

48


The National Covenant

1638 – all classes vowed to defend the Reformed Church of Scotland.

General Assembly annulled the 5 Articles.

“We have cast down the walls of Jericho, let him who rebuildeth them beware of the curse of Hiel the Bethelite”

Alexander Henderson, Moderator

49


A Century of Agitation

The battle for Presbyterianism in Scotland climaxed in the infamous “killing times.”

It was the Glorious Revolution of 1688 which settled the issue of an Established Church in Scotland which was Presbyterian in worship.

Therefore many godly people saw Ulster as a Promised Land, a place of freedom.

50


What did the Scots Desire?

To worship God without interference from the state.

To worship God singing their beloved Psalms.

To have their church governed according to Presbyterian principles.

51


The Early Presbyterian Ministers

Edward Brice

Opposed the King’s inference in the Scottish Church

1613 – Began ministering at Broadisland.

“In all his preaching he insisted most on the life of

Christ in the heart and the light of his word and the

spirit on the mind that being his own continual exercise.”

52



Robert Cunningham

1615 in Holywood

“resembled the meekness of Christ more than any other individual he had ever met.”

53



Mr Hubbard

1621

Moved his entire London congregation to Carrickfergus

He died in 1623.

54



Robert Blair

Professor at Glasgow College.

Because of the King’s policy he removed to Bangor.

He benefited from Archbishop Ussher’s protection.

He returned to Scotland for the National Covenant.

55



Josias Welch

Grandson of John Knox.

Ministered in Templepatrick.

Known as the “Cock of the Conscience”.

56



George Dunbar

Twice ejected from his charge in Ayr

Imprisoned because of his opposition to the King’s

policies.

Ministered in Carrickfergus, Ballymena and Larne.

57


The Sixmilewater Revival

1625

Rev James Glendinning of Oldstone preached firmly against sin and warned of God’s wrath.

Many people in the Sixmilewater Valley were deeply convicted of their sins.

Rev Glendinning could go no further and did not reveal the grace of the Gospel.

Local ministers came to lead the people to Christ and a monthly Friday meeting instituted to feed the new converts in Antrim.

This awakening had a deep influence for good both in the Sixmilewater and further afield.

58

What Will We Learn?


2: A Divided People





7: The Civil War and Protectorate


King James 1st


• Ussher - Royal Chaplain.

• 1620 – Bishop of West Meath.

• Privy Counsellor.

• 1625 – Archbishop of Armagh.

Final English Controversy

Lord Mordaunt (Roman Catholic)

and His wife decided that the

Reformed Faith be debated in their

presence.

After 3 days the Jesuit representing

Rome absconded.

Lord Mordaunt converted to the

religion of his wife.


Archbishop William Laud


• 1633 – Archbishop of

Canterbury.

• Favoured Arminianism and

had leanings towards Romanism

• Unify the Churches of

England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland.

Changing Times


Charles 1st

Thomas Wentorth, 1st Earl of Strafford


• 1633 – Lord Deputy of

Ireland.

• Policy of persecuting

Presbyterians.

• Star Chamber and the Black

Oath

A Vision for Unity Lost

Echlin, Bishop of Down.

Blair and his appeal to the King.

The Eagle Wing.

Rowing the Irish Sea.


Loss of Independence

1634 – The 39 Articles were adopted as the confession of the Church of Ireland.

The Irish Articles were never

repealed but were superseded. Ussher continued to make use of

them when ordaining clergy.


What Will We Learn?


2: A Divided People





7: The Civil War and Protectorate


Oliver Cromwell


• Charles was under increasing

strain from Parliament

• 1640 – Ussher was called to

London to advise the King.

• He would never again return

to Ireland.

Heart Breaking News

1641 – 100,000 Protestants slaughtered in

Ireland.

The King and Parliament supported him

until his death.


His Quest for Peace

He strove to create a compromise

between Presbyterianism and

Anglicanism.

The Independents proved to be the

obstacles to any compromise.


Assessment of Richard Baxter of

Kidderminister

“If all the Episcopalians had been like

Archbishop Ussher, all the

Presbyterians like Mr Stephen

Marshall, and all the Independents

like Jeremiah Burroughs, the breaches

of the church would soon have been

healed”


The Westminster Assembly of 1643

Ussher invited to join the Assembly

which met to “settle the government

and liturgy of the Church of

England”.

As the King declared the Assembly

illegal Ussher declined.


The Westminster

Confession of Faith

This Confession is regarded as the

most mature of all the Reformed

Confessions in the English Language.

The Westminster Divines used the

Irish Articles of Faith as their basis.


The Emergence of Irish

Presbyterianism

The rebellion had decimated the Church of Ireland.

The Ulster Scots looked to the Scottish Army to establish churches.

These Presbyterian Congregations would eventually adopt the Westminster Confession as their creed.


Execution of Charles 1st

31st January 1649

He fainted as he witnessed the death

of his King.

Kept that day as a Fast Day until his

death.


1656 – The Death of James Ussher

“My years are full”

“Oh Lord, forgive me, specially

my sins of omission.”


Honoured in Death

Cromwell ordered that he be buried in

Westminster Abbey.

Grave unmarked

“And Samuel died, and all Israel were

gathered together and lamented him and

buried him”


The 1904 Stone in

St Paul’s Chapel

"In pious memory of JAMES USSHER who

was born in Dublin in 1581, entered among

the first students of Trinity College, promoted

to the ...see of Armagh, primate of all Ireland,

the hundredth heir of St Patrick the apostle

of Ireland, historian, critic, theologian, most

learned among the holy, most holy among the

learned, exiled from his own in this city of

Westminster, he fell asleep in Christ in

1656..." 78 Ely Centre - 27th January 2016

One Final Text

Galatians 5:1

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty

wherewith Christ hath made us free,

and be not entangled again with the

yoke of bondage.”


the irish articles of religion of 1615

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