Searching for the Identity and Faith of the Ulster Protestant Standing in the Shadow of our Greatest Heroic Leaders Searching for the Identity and Faith of the Ulster Protestant 1
Searching for the
Identity and Faith of
the Ulster Protestant
Standing in the Shadow of our
Greatest Heroic Leaders
Searching for the Identity and
Faith of the Ulster Protestant 1
Archbishop James Ussher
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Greatest
Luminary of
the Church of
Ireland
2
The Irish Articles of Religion
3
1615
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.
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 4
The Irish Bishop who
Welcomed the Ulster Scots
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Forging the Faith
of the Ulster
Plantation in the
Fires of
Persecution and
Genocide
Market Cross in the Famous
Plantation Town of
Newtownards
5
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 Emergence of Irish Presbyterianism
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 6
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 Emergence of Irish Presbyterianism
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 7
Protestantism in Ireland
1536
Act of Supremacy –
Henry 8th declared
Head of the Church of Ireland
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 8
The 39 Articles of Religion
1571
Defining the English Church as Protestant
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 9
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.
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 10
t
The Irish Reformation was a failure
because it was a political movement
associated with English rule.
What Will We Learn?
1: Progress of Protestantism in Ireland
2: A Divided Society
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 Emergence of Irish Presbyterianism
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 11
Beyond the Pale
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 12
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
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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 Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 14
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
15
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
16
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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 Emergence of Irish Presbyterianism
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 17
Archbishop James Ussher
18
The Greatest
Luminary of
the Church of
Ireland
Born - 1581
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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
19
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
20
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
21
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.”
22
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
23
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
24
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
25
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Young Dublin Preacher
26
Delivered weekly
addresses on
Roman Catholicism.
A number of
Roman Catholics
were converted.
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
27
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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).
28
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
JAMES USSHER
29
Qualified to
Define the
Protestant
Church of
Ireland
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The 39 Articles of Religion
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 30
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
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 31
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.
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 32
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)
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 33
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)
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 34
Theological Clarity
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 35
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 Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 36
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 .”
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 37
Significant Omissions
No mention of the hierarchy of
offices; priests, deacons, bishops
and archbishops.
Lent disavowed.
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 38
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.
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 39
An Independent Church
“the Irish Articles constitute a remarkable
declaration of independence by the Church
of Ireland” (Alan Ford)
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 40
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)
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 41
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 Emergence of Irish Presbyterianism
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 42
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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 Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Challenge
Attacks from the natives.
Castles and Bawns had to be erected.
Forests were cleared.
Towns and villages established.
44
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Results
Communities such as Belfast, Londonderry,
Coleraine, Ballymena and Newtownards
owe their formation
to the Plantation.
45
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Spiritual Success of the
Plantation
The Gospel preached in every town
virtually every village
Missionaries sent throughout the world.
47
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Early Presbyterian Ministers
Edward Brice
Opposed the King’s inference in the Scottish Church
1613 – Began ministering at Broadisland, after fleeing from Bishop Spotswood in Stirlingshire.
“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.”
48
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Early Presbyterian Ministers
Robert Cunningham
1615 in Holywood
“resembled the meekness of Christ more than any other individual he had ever met.”
49
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Early Presbyterian Ministers
Mr Hubbard
1621
Moved his entire London congregation to Carrickfergus
“An able gracious man”
50
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Early Presbyterian Ministers
John Ridge
An English man who fled his homeland because of the Episcopal Influence
Ministered in Larne
“the judicious and gracious minister of Antrim”
51
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Early Presbyterian Ministers
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.
52
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Early Presbyterian Ministers
Josias Welch
Grandson of John Knox.
Ministered in Templepatrick.
Known as the “Cock of the Conscience”.
53
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Early Presbyterian Ministers
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.
54
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
55
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 Emergence of Irish Presbyterianism
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 56
King James 1st
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 57
• 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.
58
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Changing Times
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 59
Charles 1st
Archbishop William Laud
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 60
• 1633 – Archbishop of
Canterbury.
• Favoured Arminianism and
had leanings towards Romanism
• Unify the Churches of
England, Wales, Scotland,
Ireland.
Thomas Wentorth,
1st Earl of Strafford
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 61
• 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.
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 62
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.
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 63
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 Emergence of Irish Presbyterianism
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 64
Oliver Cromwell
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 65
• 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.
66
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Backlash from Rome
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 67
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Sir Phelm O’Neill
Announced a desire that Mass would once again be said in every Irish Church.
No Protestants should be left in Ireland.
In Westmeath a meeting of Catholic Clergy recommended a general massacre.
68
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Plan Develops
Sir Phelm O’Neill is appointed the leader.
The priests anoint groups of men to massacre Protestants.
In October 1641 the atrocities commence.
69
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Barbarism
Loughgall – 300 protestants slaughtered in Church.
Portadown – 180 drowned in the River Bann.
Tyrone – Blackwater was red with blood.
Killyeagh – Rev Thomas Murray crucified.
An estimated 100,000 Protestants were murdered.
70
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Reprieve for the Ulster Scots
The initial assault was on the English Settlers.
This gave the Ulster Scots time to prepare defences.
While the roving hoards attacked the Ulster Scots eventually they were spared the worst of the atrocities.
The Protestant Church of Ireland was decimated by the rebellion.
71
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Welcome Aid
With Ireland in anarchy intervention was necessary.
The Scottish Parliament sent 10,000 soldiers to Carrickfergus, under General Munro, April 1642.
It would take Cromwell almost ten years to impose his authority on Ireland.
72
The Westminster
Confession of Faith
The Theological Basis of
Presbyterianism
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 73
Ussher’s Quest for Peace
He strove to create a compromise
between Presbyterianism and
Anglicanism.
The Independents proved to be the
obstacles to any compromise.
74
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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”
75
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
76
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
77
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.
78
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Presbyterian Church
Established
A New Beginning for
Plantation Ulster
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 79
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The First Presbytery
The army imposed church discipline on its troops, based in Carrickfergus.
A session composed of godly officers was established for each regiment.
In June 1642 the first Presbytery met with representatives of 4 sessions.
80
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Members of the First Presbytery
Nine members attended the meeting.
Three regimental chaplains remained in Ulster after the army departed to minister.
Rev Hugh Cunningham (Ray, Co Donegal), Rev Thomas Pebbles (Dundonald and Holywood), and Rev John Baird (Dervock).
81
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Sermon Preached
Rev Baird preached from Psalm 51:18; “Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion, build thou the walls of Jerusalem”
“The grain of seed which they sowed has, indeed, grown into a great tree”
Rev Thomas Hamilton
82
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Petitions for Help
The rebellion had decimated the Church of Ireland and had robbed her of her clergymen.
The Presbytery was soon petitioned for spiritual assistance.
The Presbytery advised the people concerned to establish Sessions.
83
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Ministers Settled
These new Presbyterian congregations soon received ministers approved by the Presbytery to preach and pastor
The records show that Ballymena, Antrim, Cairncastle, Templepatrick, Carrickfergus, Larne, Belfast, Ballywalter, Portaferry, Newtownards, Donaghadee, Killyleagh, Comber, Holywood and Bangor were among the first constituted congregations with ordained clergy.
84
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
The Macedonian Call
The Church of Scotland was petitioned for further help.
Six were sent temporarily to Ulster.
Subsequent ministers were sent for three months at a time.
The Church of Scotland became like an nursing mother to the new church.
85
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
Out of the Ashes
God turned again the captivity of Zion.
From the ashes of death and tragedy the Ulster Scots received the freedoms for which they had longed.
“So the church... had peace, being edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost was multiplied.” Acts 9:31.
86
Postscript
James Ussher
“From heartbreak to death”
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant 87
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.
88
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
1656 – The Death of James Ussher
“My years are full”
“Oh Lord, forgive me,
specially my sins of
omission.”
89
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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”
90
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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..." 91
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant
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.”
92
The Identity and Faith of the
Ulster Protestant